Some probabilities for eigenvalues of matrices with entries in finite fields (Q1918558)

A detailed analysis is made of the number of \(n \times n\) matrices \(A\) with entries in \(K= GF(q)\) for which \(K\) has \(n\) eigenvalues of \(A\) (counting multiplicities). A consequence (of a more complete analysis) is that the probability that such a matrix \(A\) has all \(n\) eigenvalues in \(K\) approaches \({1\over n!}\) as \(q\to \infty\). Similarly, it is shown that as \(q \to \infty\) the probability that such a matrix \(A\) has a diagonal Jordan canonical form over \(K\) approaches \(1-n(n-1)q^{-1} + O(q^{-2})\), where the constant in \(O(q^{-2})\) depends on \(n\).