Analytical formulas for calculating the extremal ranks of the matrix-valued function $A + BXC$ when the rank of $X$ is fixed

Abstract

One of the simplest matrix-valued function with a single variable matrix $X$ is given by $A + BXC$. In this this note, analytical formulas are established for calculating the maximal and minimal ranks of $A + BXC$ when the rank of the variable matrix $X$ is fixed by using a simultaneous decomposition of $A$, $B$ and $C$ and some preliminary results. Some applications of the formulas in completing partially-specified block matrix with the maximal and minimal ranks are also given.