Show that matrix-multiplication is associative.

matrix element of matrix multiplication ABC:

(( AB)C )ij i | ( AB)C | j i | ( AIB)IC | j k ,k i | A k k B k k C | j (aik bkk )ck j aik (bkk ck j ) [I.1]
Alternate answer: uses the same idea,

( A( BC ))ij k Aik

BkmCmj m

Aik Bkm Cmj (( AB)C )ij Aik ( BkmCmj ) ( Aik Bkm )Cmj

[I.2]

Show that the product of two orthogonal matrices is also orthogonal. An orthogonal matrix is characterized by AT A1 ; consider two such matrices A, B, and see if we get the inverse when we transpose,

( AB)T BT AT B 1 A1 ( AB ) 1
Alternate answer: consider the matrix elements,

[I.3]

( AB)T AB ( AB)ik T ( AB)kj ( AB)ki ( AB) kj aksbsi akr brj bsi aks akr brj bsi ask T akr brj bsi ( AT A)sr brj bsi sr brj bri brj (bir )T brj ( BT B )ij ij (I)ij
Hm. That was kind of neat. I learned how to manipulate indices . [I.4]