Comparison of the sets of polynomials \(p\) and \(q\) such that \(X=p(A)\) and \(Y=q(B)\) are solutions of the matrix equations \(f(X)=A\) and \(f(Y)=B\) (Q2365714)

The authors consider the comparison of the sets of polynomials \(p\) and \(q\) such that \(X=p(A)\) and \(Y=q(B)\) are solutions of the matrix equations \(f(X) =A\) and \(f(Y)=B\). For a complex square matrix \(M\) and a holomorphic function \(f\), let \(P(f,M)\) be the set of all polynomials \(p \in C[x]\) such that \(X=p(M)\) is a solution of \(f(X)= M\). The authors show that if \(A\) is an \(m \times m\) matrix with \(P(f,A) \neq \emptyset\) and \(B\) is an \(n \times n\) matrix, then \(P(f,A) \subseteq P(f,B)\) if and only if the minimal polynomial of \(B\) divides the minimal polynomial of \(A\). They establish a sufficient condition for two polynomials \(p \in P(f,A)\) and \(q \in P(f,B)\) to be equal. Finally they apply these results to the case where the minimal polynomials of \(A\) and \(B\) differ by a linear factor.