Let A = [aij] be an n × n
complex matrix and f(λ) be a polynomial with complex coefficients of degree n + k
and leading coefficient (−1)n+k. In the present paper we solve the following problem:
under what conditions does there exist an (n + k) × (n + k) complex matrix B of
which A is the submatrix standing in the top left-hand corner and such that f(λ) is
its characteristic polynomial?