Computable identities in the algebra of formal matrices (Q1194321)

The Cayley-Hamilton theorem says that an \(n\times n\) matrix identically satisfies its characteristic polynomial, which is of degree \(n\). Although a specific matrix may satisfy a polynomial of lower degree, its minimal polynomial, generically we cannot do better than the Cayley-Hamilton result. Put another way, if we regard the matrix elements as being indeterminates, a formal matrix satisfies the Cayley-Hamilton identity, but no other of lower degree. Furthermore, the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial for such a formal matrix, are traces. A polynomial in a formal matrix can be reduced modulo the ideal generated by the characteristic polynomial - a reduction to canonical form. In this paper, the author extends these ideas to multinomial functions of formal matrices, giving an algorithm for reduction to canonical form.