1. The document provides solutions to 15 problems involving matrix eigenvalues and characteristic equations. The problems cover finding the characteristic equation and eigenvalues of various matrices, properties of eigenvalues such as their sum and product, and relationships between a matrix and its characteristic equation.
2. Key ideas addressed include: the characteristic equation of an upper triangular matrix contains its diagonal elements as eigenvalues; the sum of eigenvalues equals the sum of diagonal elements; the product of eigenvalues can be used to find an unknown eigenvalue; and a matrix satisfies its own characteristic equation.
3. Methods demonstrated include finding the characteristic equation by calculating the determinant of A - λI, using properties of eigenvalues to solve for unknowns, and showing matrices meet their characteristic equations.