n. for a given square matrix A is the polynomial p(t) = det[A - tI] where I is the identity matrix and t is a scalar variable; the zeroes of this polynomial are the latent roots (or eigenvalues), λ, of A, for which there is a nonzero column vector, the eigenvector, X such that A X = λ X. For example, the characteristic polynomial of is t² - 3t + 1. See also quadratic form.