Minimal dimension of symmetric or skew-symmetric matrices of given minimal polynomial (Q5936008)

Over a field of characteristic not \(2\) the set of minimal polynomials of symmetric or skew-symmetric matrices (with respect to an involution of the first kind) is well known. In the paper under review the author gives the smallest possible dimension of a symmetric or skew-symmetric matrix of given minimal polynomial depending on the type of the involution. Concerning the transpose, he gives the smallest constant \(c\) such that any suitable polynomial \(f\) is the minimal polynomial of a symmetric (respectively skew-symmetric) matrix of dimension \(c /\deg f\). The case of polynomial of degree \(2\) is completely solved.