Congruence classes in \(M_3({\mathbf F}_q)\) (\(q\) odd) (Q1567659)

In principal the classification of bilinear forms (equivalently, the congruence classes of symmetric matrices) over a finite field are well understood [see \textit{C. Riehm}, J. Algebra 31, 45-66 (1974; Zbl 0283.15016) and \textit{R. Scharlau}, Math. Z. 178, 359-373 (1981; Zbl 0473.10019)], and the sizes for the congruence classes of both symmetric and nonsymmetric matrices have been computed by \textit{R. Gow} [Linear Algebra Appl. 41, 175-181 (1981; Zbl 0472.15012)] and \textit{W. C. Waterhouse} [Finite Fields Appl. 1, No. 1, 57-63 (1995; Zbl 0819.15012)]. The present paper gives explicit representatives for the congruence classes of \(M_{d}(\mathbf F_{q})\) where \(d=2\) or \(3\) and \( \mathbf F_{q}\) is a finite field of odd size \(q\). For example, for \(d=2,\) the representatives of the nonzero classes are \(\left(\begin{smallmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ 0 & \alpha \end{smallmatrix} \right) , \left(\begin{smallmatrix} 1 & \beta \\ -\beta & \alpha \end{smallmatrix} \right),\left(\begin{smallmatrix} \alpha & 0 \\ 0 & 0 \end{smallmatrix} \right),\left(\begin{smallmatrix} \alpha & 1 \\ -1 & 0 \end{smallmatrix} \right)\) and \(\left(\begin{smallmatrix} 0 & 1 \\ -1 & 0 \end{smallmatrix} \right) \) where \(\beta \) runs over the nonzero field elements different from \(\pm 1\) and \(\alpha =1\) or \(\varepsilon \) where \(\varepsilon \) is a fixed nonsquare in \(\mathbf F_{q}\) [compare with the results of \textit{P. S. Bremser}, Discrete Math. 118, No. 1-3, 243-249 (1993; Zbl 0781.15007)]. A similar list of nine nonzero types of representatives is given for \(d=3\).