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From: patrick@nmtvax.UUCP (Patrick Madden)
Newsgroups: net.math
Subject: Linear Algebra revisited....
Message-ID: <969@nmtvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 13-Mar-86 17:50:15 EST
Article-I.D.: nmtvax.969
Posted: Thu Mar 13 17:50:15 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Mar-86 00:39:26 EST
References: <967@nmtvax.UUCP> <714@ttidcb.UUCP>
Organization: New Mexico Tech, Socorro
Lines: 29

pumphrey@ttidcb.UUCP (Larry Pumphrey) pointed out some ambiguity in my
posting.  Hope this clears things up.
> 	1. Over what field do the elements a   of the matrices M
>                                       ij                  i
> 	   range (and hence k in the companion matrix A)?  i.e., the
> 	   rationals, reals, complexes?
The reals.

> 	2. Any restrictions on the value of k?
The problem is "given some k," find the matrices M1 thru M4.  Picking the
k makes things quite easy.  The brownie points come from finding a solution
that will work for all (or even some) k.

> 	3. Can any of the M  be the identity matrix?
>        			   i
Yes

  Rumor has it that there is some current literature on the problem by a
Mr. Halmos (I'm not sure if this is the same person who has his name associated
with some other ugly problems I've seen).  A friend of mine will be calling
Indiana today to try to track him down (rumor also has it that he is teaching
there--don't know what university).
  Once again, any help is appreciated.  If there's anyone on the net who
happens to know a professor Halmos....
  Thanx in advance again,

Patrick Madden, at a dusty terminal in a dusty town in a dusty state....
!lanl!unmc!nmtvax!patrick |"Droids, I want to lose.  I mean I want to lose.
!unmvax!nmtvax!patrick    | I want to see line editors on CRTs...."