ADJOINT OF A MATRIX

Theorem: If the determinant of a matrix of order n is D then, the determinant of its adjoint is 1 .
Implications of the theorem are;
A 2 by 2 matrix is equideterminant with its adjoint.
The determinant of the adjoint of a 3 by 3 matrix is a perfect square, for a 4 by 4 matrix, we
have a perfect cube, for 5 by 5 we have a perfect 4th power and so on.
For example,
1 5
8 5
, then its adjoint =
. If we evaluate the determinant of each we have
2 8
2 1
-2. That is a 2 by 2 matrix equideterminant with its adjoint.
If matrix A=

If A is a 3 by 3, say,
2
= 2
1

3 4
1 3 , =
3 5

4 3 5
7 6
2
5 3 4

Evaluating the determinant of each, we have,

Det (A) = -9 and Det (A-Adjoint) = 81 which is a square of -9
If A is a 5 by 5 matrix say
7 4 5 3 5
6 4 3 2 4
= 5 1 2 6 5 , then its adjoint gives
4 3 9 8 5
3 1 2 6 4

328 337 113 83 172

22
35
27
1
25
38
41
2
8
14
253 242 64 65
87
612 604
173 164 287

And if we evaluate the determinants, we have

Det(A) = -107 and Det(A-Adjoint) = 131079601and we observed that 131079601 = 107

51

USAGE.
1. This theorem allows us to be able to work back to a matrix given its adjoint.
2. It allows us to determine the order of a matrix if the determinant of the matrix and that its adjoint are
known.

HOW TO DERIVE A MATRIX FROM ITS ADJOINT.

Obtain the determinant of the adjoint

Obtain the determinant of the matrix by 1

Divide all the entries of the matrix by the 1 and evaluate the inverse of the resulting
matrix.
For example,
If the adjoint of a matrix is given as
2 1 1
20 7 17
8 3
7
Firstly, we evaluate its determinant which gives 4. Then, the determinant of the original matrix
31

4 = 2. Then, we use 2 to divide all the entries of the given adjoint. So we have
1
1
1

2
2
7
17
10

2
2
3
7
4
2
2
So if we evaluate the inverse of this we have the original matrix.
1
1
1

2
2
1 2 5
7
17
inverse
= 2 3 7
10

2
2
2 1 3
3
7
4
2
2
1 2 5
hence, the original matrix is 2 3 7
2 1 3
which gives

HOW TO DETERMINE THE ORDER OF A MATRIX FROM ITS DETERMINANT AND THAT OF ITS ADJOINT.

The order n of a matrix could be evaluated using,

ln
=
+1
ln
For example, if the determinant of a matrix is 5 and that of its adjoint is 125, then its order is
ln 125
+ 1 = 3 + 1 = 4.
ln 5