Talk:Characteristic equation

Untitled
anyone know why this:

( :$$\ (19-\lambda)*(26-\lambda) - (3 * -2) $$ )

wont display lambda correctly?
 * I fixed this. Check the source! InformationSpace 22:32, 5 July 2007 (UTC)

Characteristic Equation
This article gives a number of examples of `characteristic equations' in various areas of mathematics, but what about the meaning of the term itself!? When can something be called a `characteristic equation'? InformationSpace 22:30, 5 July 2007 (UTC)