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ishermitian

Determine if matrix is Hermitian or skew-Hermitian

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Syntax

tf = ishermitian(A)
tf = ishermitian(A,skewOption)

Description

tf = ishermitian(A) returns logical 1 (true) if A is a Hermitian matrix. Otherwise, it returns logical 0 (false).

example

tf = ishermitian(A,skewOption) specifies the type of the test. Specify skewOption as "skew" to determine if A is skew-Hermitian.

example

Examples

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Open Live Script

Create a 3-by-3 matrix.

A = [1 0 1i; 0 1 0; 1i 0 1]
A = 3×3 complex

   1.0000 + 0.0000i   0.0000 + 0.0000i   0.0000 + 1.0000i
   0.0000 + 0.0000i   1.0000 + 0.0000i   0.0000 + 0.0000i
   0.0000 + 1.0000i   0.0000 + 0.0000i   1.0000 + 0.0000i

The matrix is symmetric with respect to its real-valued diagonal.

Test if the matrix is Hermitian.

tf = ishermitian(A)
tf = logical
   0

The matrix A is not Hermitian because it is equal to its transpose, A.', but not its complex conjugate transpose, A'.

Change the element in A(3,1) to -1i.

A(3,1) = -1i;

Test if the modified matrix is Hermitian.

tf = ishermitian(A)
tf = logical
   1

The matrix A is now Hermitian because it is equal to its complex conjugate transpose, A'.

Open Live Script

Create a 3-by-3 matrix.

A = [-1i -1 1-i;1 -1i -1;-1-i 1 -1i]
A = 3×3 complex

   0.0000 - 1.0000i  -1.0000 + 0.0000i   1.0000 - 1.0000i
   1.0000 + 0.0000i   0.0000 - 1.0000i  -1.0000 + 0.0000i
  -1.0000 - 1.0000i   1.0000 + 0.0000i   0.0000 - 1.0000i

The matrix has pure imaginary numbers on the main diagonal.

Test if the matrix is skew-Hermitian by specifying the test type as "skew".

tf = ishermitian(A,"skew")
tf = logical
   1

The matrix A is skew-Hermitian because it is equal to the negation of its complex conjugate transpose, -A'.

Input Arguments

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Input array. If A is not a square matrix, then ishermitian returns logical 0 (false).

Data Types: single | double | logical
Complex Number Support: Yes

Test type, specified as "nonskew" or "skew". Specify "skew" to test if A is skew-Hermitian.

More About

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Hermitian Matrix

  • A square matrix, A, is Hermitian if it is equal to its complex conjugate transpose, A = A'.

    In terms of the matrix elements,

    ai, j=a¯j, i  .

  • The entries on the diagonal of a Hermitian matrix are always real. Because real matrices are unaffected by complex conjugation, a real matrix that is symmetric is also Hermitian. For example, this matrix is both symmetric and Hermitian.

    A=[100210101]

  • The eigenvalues of a Hermitian matrix are real.

Skew-Hermitian Matrix

  • A square matrix, A, is skew-Hermitian if it is equal to the negation of its complex conjugate transpose, A = -A'.

    In terms of the matrix elements, this means that

    ai, j=−a¯j, i  .

  • The entries on the diagonal of a skew-Hermitian matrix are always pure imaginary or zero. Since real matrices are unaffected by complex conjugation, a real matrix that is skew-symmetric is also skew-Hermitian. For example, the matrix

    A=[0−11   0]

    is both skew-Hermitian and skew-symmetric.

  • The eigenvalues of a skew-Hermitian matrix are purely imaginary or zero.

Extended Capabilities

Version History

Introduced in R2014a

See Also

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