Sums of two triangularizable quadratic matrices over an arbitrary field

Abstract: Let K be an arbitrary field, and a,b,c,d be elements of K such that the polynomials t^2-at-b and t^2-ct-d are split in K[t]. Given a square matrix M with entries in K, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of two matrices A and B such that M=A+B, A^2=a A+bI_n and B^2=c B+dI_n. Prior to this paper, such conditions were known in the case b=d=0, a<>0 and c<>0, and also in the case a=b=c=d=0. Here, we complete the study, which essentially amounts to determining when a matrix is the sum of an idempotent and a square-zero matrix. This generalizes results of Wang to an arbitrary field, possibly of characteristic 2.