Given a square matrix $\mathbf{A}$, the characteristic polynomial of $\mathbf{A}$ is defined as PA(t)=det(tI−A),
where $\mathbf{I}$ is the identity matrix. For example, if $\mathbf{A} = (1234),$ then the characteristic polynomial of$\mathbf{A}$ is PA(t)=det(tI−A)=det(t(1001)−(1234)), and rewriting the difference as a single matrix, this becomes det(t−1−2−3t−4)=(t−1)(t−4)−(−2)(−3)=t2−5t−2.
(a) Compute the characteristic polynomial of the matrix A=(abcd).
Express your answer in the form $p_2 t^2 + p_1 t + p_0$.
(b) For the polynomial in part (a), find p2A2+p1A+p0I.