M = sym_matrix_sym('m',5,5); M(2,1) = 0; M(1,2) = 0; M(2,3) = 0; M(3,2) = 0; M(4,5) = 0; M(5,4) = 0; M(3,3) = M(2,2); M(5,5) = M(4,4); M(2,4) = M(3,5); M(4,2) = M(5,3); M(2,5) = -M(3,4); M(5,2) = -M(4,3); lambda = sym('lambda','real'); W = [zeros(3,3) zeros(3,2); zeros(2,3) eye(2)]; poly = det(M + lambda * W ); c = coeffs(poly, lambda) c(1) c(2) c(3)