Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2023 / ib / Paper 1 / 8F / a / Solution

The statement is true. By Jordan normal form, the characteristic polynomial records the total size of the blocks for each eigenvalue, while the minimal polynomial records the largest block for each eigenvalue. In dimension three this determines every block partition: for algebraic multiplicity three the possibilities $3$, $2+1$, and $1+1+1$ have largest block sizes three, two, and one; multiplicities one and two are equally immediate. Thus the two matrices have the same Jordan form and are conjugate. This is the characteristic and minimal polynomials determine similarity in dimension three phenomenon.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.