Total positivity and the QR algorithm (Q1379096)

A matrix \(A\) is TP (totally positive) if all its minors are nonnegative. It is NTP if it is nonsingular and TP. If all its minors are strictly positive it is called STP. A TP matrix \(A\) is called O (oscillatory) if there is a positive integer \(m\) such that \(A^m\) is STP. Assume \(A\) is real and symmetric and \(\mu\in{\mathbb{R}}\) is not an eigenvalue of \(A\), then the QR algorithm computes \(A-\mu I=QR\) and by reversing the order \(A'\) is obtained from \(A'-\mu I=RQ\). It is proved in this paper that if \(A\) is symmetric and has one of the properties NTP, O, or STP, then \(A'\) will have the same properties.