IGCSE Matrices

Index:
Please click on the question number you want
Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

Question 8

You can access the solutions from the end of each question

Question 1
2 3
A=
,
1
4

3 2
B=
.
7 6

Express as a single matrix the following:

a. 3A

b. A + B

c. B A

d. AB

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e. A2

Solution to question 1
2 3
A=
,
1
4

3 2
B=
.
7 6

a.

2 3 6 9
3A = 3
=

1 12 3
4

b.

2 3 3 2 2 3 3 + 2 1 1
A+B =
+
=
=

1 7 6 4 + 7
1 + 6 11 7
4

c.

3 2 2 3 3 2 2 ( 3 ) 5 5
BA=
=

=
1 7 4
6 1 3 5
7 6 4

d.

e.

2 3 3 2
AB =

1 7 6
4
2 3 + 3 7 2 2 + 3 6 6 21 4 18 27 14
=
=
=

4 2 + 1 6 12 + 7 8 + 6 5 14
4 3 + 1 7
2 3 2 3
A2 =

1 4
1
4
2 2 + 3 4 2 3 + 3 1 4 12 6 3 8 9
=
=
=

4 3 + 1 1 8 + 4 12 + 1 12 11
4 2 + 1 4

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Question 2

6 7

A = 2 1
1 3

4
B = and C = ( 2 3 1)
2

Find if possible:
a. AB

b. CA

c. CB

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Solution to question 2

6 7

A = 2 1
1 3

4
B = and C = ( 2 3 1)
2

Find if possible:

a.

b.

6 7
6 4 + 7 2 24 + 14 10

AB = 2 1 = 2 4 + 1 2 = 8 + 2 = 6

2 1 4 + 3 2 4 + 6 2
1 3

6 7

CA = ( 2 3 1) 2 1
1 3

= ( 2 6 + 3 2 + 1 1 2 7 + 3 1 + 1 3 )
= (12 6 + 1 14 3 + 3 )
= ( 7 14 )

c.

CB is not possible as the number of rows in the second matrix B is 2 and

the number of rows in the first matrix A is 3.

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Question 3

The diagram shows three town A, B and C.

Write down the following:

a.

the direct route matrix.

b.

the two-stage route matrix.

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Solution to question 3

To
A B C
From

A0 1 2 0 1 2

B 1 0 1 = 1 0 1
C 2 1 0 2 1 0

a.

One stage-matrix is:

b.

The two-stage matrix is found by squaring the one-stage matrix as

shown below

0 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 + 1 1 + 2 2 0 1 + 1 0 + 2 1 0 2 + 1 1 + 2 0

1 0 1 1 0 1 = 1 0 + 0 1 + 1 2 1 1 + 0 0 + 1 1 1 2 + 0 1 + 1 0
2 1 0 2 1 0 2 0 + 1 1 + 0 2 2 1 + 1 0 + 0 1 2 2 + 1 1 + 0 0

0 + 1+ 4 0 + 0 + 2 0 + 1+ 0

= 0 + 0 + 2 1+ 0 + 1 2 + 0 + 0
0 + 1+ 0 2 + 0 + 0 4 + 1+ 0

5 2 1

= 2 2 2
1 2 5

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Question 4

The results of three football teams are show below in a matrix, with another
matrix showing the allocation of the points.
W D L
X
Y
Z

6 2 1

3 5 1
2 0 4

Points
W
D
L

3

1
0

Find the number of points for each team.

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Solution to question 4

W D L
X
Y
Z

Points

6 2 1

3 5 1
2 0 4

W
D
L

3

1
0

The number of points for each team is found by multiplying the two matrices
together
6 2 1 3 6 3 + 2 1 + 1 0 18 + 2 + 0 20

3 5 1 1 = 3 3 + 5 1 + 1 0 = 9 + 5 + 0 = 14
2 0 4 0 2 3 + 0 1+ 4 0 6 + 0 + 0 6

Points
which gives

A 20

B 14
C 6

Hence team A has 20 points, team B 14 points and team C 6 points.

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Question 5

4 3
1
If M =
. Find the inverse matrix M .
2
5

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Solution to question 5

a b
1 d b
1
If M =
, then M =

.
ad bc c
a
c d
4 3
So if M =
then
2 5
M 1 =

5 3
1
( 4 )( 5 ) ( 3 )( 2 ) 2 4

1 5 3

20 6 2 4
1 5 3
=

26 2 4
1 5 3
=

26 2 4
=

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Question 6

2 5
1 0
If AB = I , where A =
and I =
, find the matrix B.
4 1
0 1

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Solution to question 6

2 5
1 0
AB = I , where A =
and I =

4 1
0 1

AB = I
1

A AB = A1I
IB = A1
B = A 1
a b
1 d b
1
Now if If M =
, then M =

.
ad bc c
a
c d

Therefore
A 1 =

1 5
1
( 2 )(1) ( 5 )( 4 ) 4 2

1 1 5

2 20 4
2
1 1 5
=

18 4
2
1 1 5
=

18 4 2

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Question 7

2 7
3 2
If XY =
and X =
, find the matrix Y.
2 4
8 1

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Solution to question 7

2 7
3 2
XY =
and X =

2 4
8 1
2 7
XY =

2 4
2 7
X 1 XY = X 1

2 4
2 7
IY = X 1

2 4
2 7
Y = X 1

2 4
1 2
1
( 3 )( 1) ( 2 )( 8 ) 8 3
1 1 2
=

3 16 8 3

X 1 =

1 1 2

19 8 3
1 1 2
=

19 8 3

1 2 + 2 2
1 7 + 2 4
1 1 2 2 7 1

=
19 8 3 2 4 19 8 2 + ( 3 ) ( 2 ) 8 7 + ( 3 ) 4
7 + 8 1 2 15
1 24
=

19 16 + 6 56 12 19 22 44

Y=

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Question 8

2 1
If the matrix
has no inverse find the value of k.
4 k

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Solution to question 8

2 1
For the matrix
to have no inverse then the determinant is equal to
4 k
zero.
Hence 2k ( 1)( 4 ) = 0

2k + 4 = 0
2k = 4
k = 2
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