The correct answer is 1.
Here is the step-by-step explanation of how to find the maximum value of the quadratic form.
Step 1: Understand the Given Matrix and Set
We are given a matrix defined as:
where is the identity matrix, and is a column vector of all ones of dimension .
We want to maximize the expression over the set of unit vectors:
Step 2: Relate to Eigenvalues (Rayleigh Quotient)
For any symmetric matrix , the maximum value of subject to the constraint is equal to the largest eigenvalue () of the matrix :
Step 3: Analyze the Matrix Properties
Let us check the properties of .
First, is symmetric because:
Second, is an idempotent matrix (a projection matrix):
Expanding this product gives:
Since (the dot product of the ones vector with itself is ), we get:
Step 4: Find the Eigenvalues of
Since is an idempotent projection matrix, its eigenvalues can only be 0 or 1.
Let us find the eigenvectors corresponding to these eigenvalues:
1. If we multiply by the vector :
Thus, is an eigenvalue of corresponding to the eigenvector (with multiplicity 1).
2. For any vector that is orthogonal to (meaning ):
Thus, is an eigenvalue of with multiplicity (corresponding to the subspace orthogonal to ).
Conclusion
Since the eigenvalues of are 0 and 1, the maximum eigenvalue of is 1. Therefore, the maximum value of subject to is 1.