대칭행렬 \(S\)의 LU분해
\begin{equation*}
S=LU
\end{equation*}
를 생각하자. 과연 \(U=L^{\operatorname T}\)인가? 꼭 그렇지는 않으나 비슷하게 꼴
\begin{equation*}
S=LDL^{\operatorname T}
\end{equation*}
로 분해할 수 있다. 단, \(D\)는 대각행렬이다.
예를 들어 알아보자. 대칭행렬
\begin{equation*}
S
=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 2 \amp -4 \\ 0 \amp -4 \amp 0
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
을 생각하자. 소거 중간 단계로
\begin{equation*}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 2 \amp -4 \\ 0 \amp -4 \amp 0
\end{bmatrix}
=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp -2 \amp -4 \\ 0 \amp -4 \amp 0
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
를 얻는다. L위치의 행렬
\begin{equation*}
L_1=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
을 전치하면
\begin{equation*}
L_1^{\operatorname T}=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
이다. 관찰
\begin{equation*}
\begin{bmatrix} \boldsymbol v_1 \amp \boldsymbol v_2 \amp \boldsymbol v_3 \end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
=
\begin{bmatrix} \boldsymbol v_1 \amp 2 \boldsymbol v_1+\boldsymbol v_2 \amp \boldsymbol v_3 \end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
에 기반해(단, \(\boldsymbol v_i\)는 열벡터)
\begin{equation*}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 2 \amp -4 \\ 0 \amp -4 \amp 0
\end{bmatrix}
=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp -2 \amp -4 \\ 0 \amp -4 \amp 0
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
를 얻는다. 소거를 계속하여
\begin{equation*}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 2 \amp -4 \\ 0 \amp -4 \amp 0
\end{bmatrix}
=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 2 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp -2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 8
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 1 \amp 2 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
을 얻는다. 즉,
\begin{equation*}
L=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 2 \amp 1 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 2 \amp 1
\end{bmatrix}
,
D=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 \amp 0 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp -2 \amp 0 \\ 0 \amp 0 \amp 8
\end{bmatrix}
\end{equation*}
로 \(S=LDL^{\operatorname T}\)를 얻었다.