If a square matrix A is nilpotent, what is its only eigenvalue?
Show answer
Zero
A matrix is nilpotent if A^k = 0 for some integer k. Since any eigenvalue λ must satisfy λ^k = 0, the only possible eigenvalue in the complex field is zero.
Also asked as:
- For a square matrix A that satisfies A^k = 0 for some integer k, what is the only possible eigenvalue?