Orthogonal matrix

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A real matrix is orthogonal (or, more precisely, orthonormal) when it has an inverse equal to its transpose[1][2]

PT=P-1

The term comes from the fact that the canonical orthonormal basis of the \mathbb{R}^n\, is transformed by any orthonormal matrix (and only by orthonormal matrices) into another orthonormal basis.

Each orthonormal matrix represents one orthonormal basis, and reciprocally:

  • If the columns of an orthonormal matrix are taken to be a set of vectors, then this set is an orthonormal basis
  • If an orthonormal basis is written as the columns of a matrix, then this matrix is orthonormal [1]
  • These properties are also valid for lines instead of columns

The concept generalizes to complex matrices as unitary matrices; however, in this case, instead of the the transpose it's necessary to use the conjugate-transpose.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Vecteurs et matrices, at http://benhur.teluq.uqam.ca, in French
  2. Rowland, Todd. "Orthogonal Matrix." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource, created by Eric W. Weisstein.
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