Math 114 Lecture: The Inverse of a Matrix

Lecturer: Jose Maria L. Escaner IV, Ph.D.

Lecture 8
Definition 1 An n n matrix A is said to be nonsingular (or invertible)if there exists an n n matrix
B such that AB = BA = In . The matrix B is called the inverse of A is often denoted by A1 . If no
such B exists, then A is said to be singular.



 3
18
2 1
8
Example:
are inverses to each other.
and 1
1
2 3
4
4
Remark: The inverse of a nonsingular matrix is unique. Indeed, suppose B and C are inverses of A.
Then BA = AC = I. However, B = BI = B(AC) = (BA)C = IC = C, and hence the uniqueness.

Theorem 1 Let (square) matrices A and B be nonsingular matrices of the same size. Then
1. A1 and B 1 are nonsingular.
2. (A1 )1 = A.
3. AB is nonsingular and (AB)1 = B 1 A1 .
4. (AT )1 = (A1 )T .

Exercise: Find the inverse of A =

Solution: Let B =


a b
c d
2
1

3
1

2
1

3
1


.


be the inverse of A. Then,


a b
c d


=

2a + 3c 2b + 3d
a+c
b+d


=

1
0

0
1


.

This gives the following system of equations:

2a + 3c =

2b + 3d =

a+c =

b+d =

where one can easily get a = 1, b = 3, c = 1 and d = 2, or that



1
3
A1 = B =
.
1 2

It is possible to check whether a square matrix is nonsingular using the following theorem.
Theorem 2 An n n matrix A is nonsingular if and only if it is row equivalent to the identity matrix
In .

Finding the inverse of a matrix using the reduced row echelon form
Suppose A is an n n matrix. To find whether it has an inverse, transform the augmented matrix
[A|I] into [I|B] using the elementary row operations. If this is possible, then A is nonsingular and B is
the inverse of A; otherwise, A is singular.
Examples: Find the inverse of the following matrix by transforming the augmented
matrix and the appropriate identity matrix to its reduced row echelon form:



1 1
1 2 3
1 2
1.
3 4
3. 1 1 2
5. 1 1
1 1 0
0 1

3 1 2


1 3
4. 2 1 2
2.
2 6
1 2 2

matrix of the given

Exercises:
1. Find A if A1 =

2
1

3
4

1 1 0
2. For what values of a will the inverse of A = 1 1 0 exist? What is A1 ?
1 2 a

4
0 0
3. If D = 0 2 0 , find D1 .
0
0 3




3 2
2
5
4. If A1 =
and B 1 =
, find (AB)1 .
1 3
3 2

3
2
2