An eigenvalue \(t\) of a matrix \(\Mtrx{A}\) is said to have algebraic multiplicity \(a\DefEq \AlgbrcMltplcty{\lambda}\) if the characteristic polynomial \(p(\lambda)\) can be written as

\(p(\lambda)\)

\(=\)

\((\lambda-t)^a \cdot q(\lambda)\)

and \(q(t)\neq 0\).