I've got another question I'd like to try to prove.
"Let $\Bbb{R^n} → \Bbb{R^n}$ be a linear transformation. If $A$ is the standard matrix representation of $L$, then an n x n matrix $B$ will also be a matrix representation of $L$ iff $B$ is similar to $A$."
This is true, and I'm trying to understand why. Here's what I've got so far:
If $B$ is similar to $A$, then $B = S^{-1}AS$, where $S$ = some transition matrix from one ordered basis to another.
Assume $A$ is the standard representation of $L$. Then there exists a $B$ similar to $A$ such that $B = S^{-1}AS = $ another matrix representation of L.
I don't know exactly if that's correct. It kind of feels correct, but also not enough for me. I just don't know where else I can go with it, because other methods feel like dead-ends to me.
Please respond if you have the time. Thanks! -Jon
The proof below contains an argument for sufficiency, i.e., if $B$ is similar to $A$, then $B$ is a matrix representation for the linear transformation $L$.
Suppose that $B= S^{-1} A S$. Let $s_i$ denote the $i^{th}$ column of $S$ and let $\mathcal{B} := \{s_1,\dots,s_n\}$. Since $S$ is invertible, it follows that $\mathcal{B}$ is a basis of $\mathbb{R}^n$.
Suppose that $L(x) = y \in \mathbb{R}^n$. Then $Ax = y$. Since $S$ is invertible, there is a unique vector $[x]_\mathcal{B} \in \mathbb{R}^n$ such that $x = S[x]_\mathcal{B}$ (this is the coordinate vector of $x$ with respect to the basis $\mathcal{B}$). Similarly, there is a unique vector $[y]_\mathcal{B} \in \mathbb{R}^n$ such that $y=S[y]_\mathcal{B}$. Notice that \begin{align*} y= Ax &\Longleftrightarrow S[y]_\mathcal{B} = A(S[x]_\mathcal{B}) \\ &\Longleftrightarrow [y]_\mathcal{B} = (S^{-1} A S) [x]_\mathcal{B} \\ &\Longleftrightarrow [y]_\mathcal{B} = B [x]_\mathcal{B}. \end{align*} The last expression is the representation of $L$ with respect to the basis $\mathcal{B}$.