+ def _a_regular_element(self):
+ """
+ Guess a regular element. Needed to compute the basis for our
+ characteristic polynomial coefficients.
+ """
+ gs = self.gens()
+ z = self.sum( (i+1)*gs[i] for i in range(len(gs)) )
+ if not z.is_regular():
+ raise ValueError("don't know a regular element")
+ return z
+
+
+ @cached_method
+ def _charpoly_basis_space(self):
+ """
+ Return the vector space spanned by the basis used in our
+ characteristic polynomial coefficients. This is used not only to
+ compute those coefficients, but also any time we need to
+ evaluate the coefficients (like when we compute the trace or
+ determinant).
+ """
+ z = self._a_regular_element()
+ V = z.vector().parent().ambient_vector_space()
+ V1 = V.span_of_basis( (z**k).vector() for k in range(self.rank()) )
+ b = (V1.basis() + V1.complement().basis())
+ return V.span_of_basis(b)
+
+
+ @cached_method
+ def _charpoly_coeff(self, i):
+ """
+ Return the coefficient polynomial "a_{i}" of this algebra's
+ general characteristic polynomial.
+
+ Having this be a separate cached method lets us compute and
+ store the trace/determinant (a_{r-1} and a_{0} respectively)
+ separate from the entire characteristic polynomial.
+ """
+ (A_of_x, x, xr, detA) = self._charpoly_matrix_system()
+ R = A_of_x.base_ring()
+ if i >= self.rank():
+ # Guaranteed by theory
+ return R.zero()
+
+ # Danger: the in-place modification is done for performance
+ # reasons (reconstructing a matrix with huge polynomial
+ # entries is slow), but I don't know how cached_method works,
+ # so it's highly possible that we're modifying some global
+ # list variable by reference, here. In other words, you
+ # probably shouldn't call this method twice on the same
+ # algebra, at the same time, in two threads
+ Ai_orig = A_of_x.column(i)
+ A_of_x.set_column(i,xr)
+ numerator = A_of_x.det()
+ A_of_x.set_column(i,Ai_orig)
+
+ # We're relying on the theory here to ensure that each a_i is
+ # indeed back in R, and the added negative signs are to make
+ # the whole charpoly expression sum to zero.
+ return R(-numerator/detA)
+
+
+ @cached_method
+ def _charpoly_matrix_system(self):
+ """
+ Compute the matrix whose entries A_ij are polynomials in
+ X1,...,XN, the vector ``x`` of variables X1,...,XN, the vector
+ corresponding to `x^r` and the determinent of the matrix A =
+ [A_ij]. In other words, all of the fixed (cachable) data needed
+ to compute the coefficients of the characteristic polynomial.
+ """