In this problem we indicate how to show that \(\mathbf{u}(t)\) and
\(\mathbf{v}(t)\), as given by Eqs. (9), are linearly independent. Let
\(r_{1}=\lambda+i \mu\) and \(\bar{r}_{1}=\lambda-i \mu\) be a pair of conjugate
eigenvalues of the coefficient matrix \(\mathbf{A}\) of \(\mathrm{Fq}(1)\); let
\(\xi^{(1)}=\mathbf{a}+i \mathbf{b}\) and \(\bar{\xi}^{(1)}=\mathbf{a}-i
\mathbf{b}\) be the corresponding eigenvectors. Recall that it was stated in
Section 7.3 that if \(r_{1} \neq \bar{r}_{1},\) then \(\boldsymbol{\xi}^{(1)}\)
and \(\bar{\xi}^{(1)}\) are linearly independent.
(a) First we show that a and b are linearly independent. Consider the equation
\(c_{1} \mathrm{a}+\) \(c_{2} \mathrm{b}=0 .\) Express a and \(\mathrm{b}\) in terms
of \(\xi^{(1)}\) and \(\bar{\xi}^{(1)},\) and then show that \(\left(c_{1}-i
c_{2}\right) \xi^{(1)}+\) \(\left(c_{1}+i c_{2}\right) \bar{\xi}^{(1)}=0\)
(b) Show that \(c_{1}-i c_{2}=0\) and \(c_{1}+i c_{2}=0\) and then that \(c_{1}=0\)
and \(c_{2}=0 .\) Consequently, a and b are linearly independent.
(c) To show that \(\mathbf{u}(t)\) and \(\mathbf{v}(t)\) are linearly independent
consider the equation \(c_{1} \mathbf{u}\left(t_{0}\right)+\) \(c_{2}
\mathbf{v}\left(t_{0}\right)=\mathbf{0}\), where \(t_{0}\) is an arbitrary point.
Rewrite this equation in terms of a and \(\mathbf{b}\), and then proceed as in
part (b) to show that \(c_{1}=0\) and \(c_{2}=0 .\) Hence \(\mathbf{u}(t)\) and
\(\mathbf{v}(t)\) are linearly independent at the arbitrary point \(t_{0}\).
Therefore they are linearly independent at every point and on every interval.