How do Jordan blocks finish what diagonalization can't, and why are block sizes — not eigenvector counts — the complete similarity invariant?
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Structure of a Jordan block
Draw the block with repeated down the diagonal, 's immediately above it and zeros below, and record that one block contributes exactly one eigenvector.
Two rank- nilpotent matrices
Write both matrices, ones at positions versus , identify the block structures as against , and record that equal eigenvector counts still leave them dissimilar.
Jordan's theorem and the block-diagonal
State that every square matrix is similar to a block-diagonal of Jordan blocks, with the block count equal to the number of independent eigenvectors and for distinct eigenvalues.