Student Colloquium

Zack Cramer, Department of Pure Math, University of Waterloo

"The Gershgorin Circle Theorem"

Often, the key to understanding a linear transformation in finite dimensions is understanding its eigenvalues. Since calculating eigenvalues can be a pain, we commonly seek convenient methods to approximate them. In this talk we'll see a few of my favourites, including a lesser known gem of matrix theory: the Gershgorin circle theorem. Though simple enough for a first course in linear algebra, this result is remarkably general and has several curious consequences.

MC 5501