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Exercise 2031Topology › Topology of Mn(ℝ) › Rank, spectrum and normsM1Added 6 Nov 2026

The Bauer-Fike theorem

#Bauer-Fike#perturbation of eigenvalues#condition number#diagonalisable

Statement

Let A=VDV−1∈Mn(C)A=VDV^{-1}\in M_n(\mathbb{C}) with D=diag⁡(d1,…,dn)D=\operatorname{diag}(d_1,\dots,d_n) and let κ(V)=∥V∥ ∥V−1∥\kappa(V)=\|V\|\,\|V^{-1}\| (operator 22-norm). Show that every eigenvalue μ\mu of A+EA+E satisfies
min⁡i∣μ−di∣≤κ(V) ∥E∥.\min_i|\mu-d_i|\le\kappa(V)\,\|E\|.

Hint

If μ\mu is not an eigenvalue of AA, write (A+E−μ)x=0(A+E-\mu)x=0 in the basis VV and isolate y=V−1xy=V^{-1}x.

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Solution

Trivial case. If μ∈{di}\mu\in\{d_i\} the left side is 00 and there is nothing to prove. Assume μ∉{di}\mu\notin\{d_i\}, so D−μID-\mu I is invertible.

Reformulation. Let x≠0x\ne0 with (A+E)x=μx(A+E)x=\mu x. Then (A−μI)x=−Ex(A-\mu I)x=-Ex. Substituting A=VDV−1A=VDV^{-1} and y=V−1x≠0y=V^{-1}x\ne0:
V(D−μI)V−1x=−Ex ⟹ (D−μI)y=−V−1EVy.V(D-\mu I)V^{-1}x=-Ex\ \Longrightarrow\ (D-\mu I)y=-V^{-1}EVy.

Inverting D−μD-\mu.
y=−(D−μI)−1V−1EV y.y=-(D-\mu I)^{-1}V^{-1}EV\,y.
Take norms and use submultiplicativity:
∣y∣≤∥(D−μI)−1∥ ∥V−1∥ ∥E∥ ∥V∥ ∣y∣.|y|\le\|(D-\mu I)^{-1}\|\,\|V^{-1}\|\,\|E\|\,\|V\|\,|y|.

Conclusion. Dividing by ∣y∣>0|y|>0 gives 1≤∥(D−μI)−1∥ κ(V) ∥E∥1\le\|(D-\mu I)^{-1}\|\,\kappa(V)\,\|E\|. For a diagonal matrix, ∥(D−μI)−1∥=max⁡i1∣di−μ∣=1min⁡i∣di−μ∣\|(D-\mu I)^{-1}\|=\max_i\frac1{|d_i-\mu|}=\frac1{\min_i|d_i-\mu|}. Therefore
min⁡i∣di−μ∣≤κ(V)∥E∥.\min_i|d_i-\mu|\le\kappa(V)\|E\|.

Example. A=(1101+δ)A=\begin{pmatrix}1&1\\0&1+\delta\end{pmatrix} has eigenvectors with κ(V)≈2/δ\kappa(V)\approx2/\delta (nearly parallel eigenvectors), so a perturbation of size η\eta can move the eigenvalues by about η\sqrt{\eta} when δ≈η\delta\approx\sqrt\eta: the bound is quantitatively sharp as AA approaches a Jordan block.

Remark. The theorem quantifies how ill-conditioned the eigenvalues of a nearly non-diagonalisable matrix are, and recovers the Hölder phenomenon of the Jordan block (κ→∞\kappa\to\infty).