The symmetric, positive semidefinite, and positive definite real solut
ions of matrix equations A(T)XA = D and (A(T)XA, XA - YAD) = (D, 0) ar
e considered. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of
such solutions and their general forms are derived using the singular
value decomposition. The theory is motivated and illustrated with a p
roblem of vibration theory.