2 1 1 1

0 1 1 0 0 1

Verify your answers using the Matlab commands eig(A) which gives you eigenvalues and eigen-
vectors. Type help eigME120 – Linear Systems and Controls
for full instructions on the command.
Homework 2
3. Write a system of ordinary differential equations in matrix form (state space form) for the electrical

system in the figure below. Find an expression for the eigenvalues given generic parameters L and
1. Write a system of ordinary differential equations in matrix form (state space form) for the
C. Can the eigenvalues be real numbers? Finally, write the expression for the system’s natural
electrical system in the figure.
response, assuming generic initial conditions.

L

u(t) i(t) C

Solution:
Using Kirchoff’s voltage law we get:

𝑑𝑖
𝑢 = 𝑉! + 𝑉! = 𝐿 + 𝑉!
𝑑𝑡

!!!
Note that 𝑖 = 𝑖! = 𝑖! = 𝐶 !"
; we can therefore obtain:

𝑑 ! 𝑉!
𝑢 = 𝐿𝐶 + 𝑉!
𝑑𝑡 !

This is a second order ODE, as expected for a system of order two. This can be written in
!!
matrix form defining the variables 𝑥! = 𝑉! and 𝑥! = !"! as follows

𝑥! = 𝑥!
1 1
𝑥! = 𝑢− 𝑥
𝐿𝐶 𝐿𝐶 !

0 1 𝑥 0
𝑥! 1 !
1 𝑢 = 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵𝑢
⇒ = +
𝑥! − 0 𝑥!
𝐿𝐶 𝐿𝐶

2. Find the inverse for the following matrices:

1 2 0 1 0 2
10 −5
𝐴! = , 𝐴! = 0 5 −1 , 𝐴! = 0 2 1
−2 1
1 −3 −1 0 0 1

Verify your results using the Matlab command inv(A).

Solution:

! ! !
!
−! ! 1 0 −2
!! ! ! ! !! ! !
A1 is not invertible, 𝐴! = !" !"
− !" , 𝐴! = 0 ! −!
!
−!
!
−!
! 0 0 1
!

3. Find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors for the following matrices:

1 0 2
10 −5
𝐴! = , 𝐴! = 0 2 1
−2 1
0 0 −1

Verify your answers using the Matlab command eig(A), which gives you the eigenvalues
and eigenvectors of a matrix.

Solution:

10 −5
• 𝐴! =
−2 1
10 − 𝜆 −5
The characteristic polynomial is: 𝐴! − 𝜆𝐼 = = 𝜆 𝜆 − 11 = 0
−2 1−𝜆

Hence, the eigenvalues are: 𝜆! = 0, 𝜆! = 11

To obtain the associated eigenvectors we must solve: 𝐴 − 𝜆! 𝐼 𝑣 = 0, for each

eigenvalue 𝜆! . Thus:

10 − 𝜆! −5 𝑥 10 −5 𝑥
𝐴 − 𝜆! 𝐼 𝑣 = 𝑦 = −2 1 𝑦 = 0
−2 1 − 𝜆!
1
The solution for this system is 𝑥 = 1, 𝑦 = 2, and the eigenvector is therefore: 𝑣! =
2

Following the same procedure we can obtain the eigenvector associated to 𝜆!

−5
as: 𝑣! =
1
1 0 2
• 𝐴! = 0 2 1
0 0 −1

Using the same procedure as above you must get: 𝜆! = 2, 𝜆! = −1, 𝜆! = 1

0 −3 1
Associated eigenvectors: 𝑣! = 1 , 𝑣! = −1 , 𝑣! = 0
0 3 0