Step inverse matrix 3 by 3 1. Find the determinant 2.

Transpose M to MT

The Inverse and Determinants of 2x2 and 3x3 Matrices

For those people who need instant formulas! The general way to calculate the inverse of any square matrix, is to append a unity matrix after the matrix (i.e. [A | I]), and then do a row reduction until the matrix is of the form [I | B], and then B is the inverse of A. There is also a general formula based on matrix conjugates and the determinant. In the following, DET is the determinant of the matrices at the left-hand side.

The inverse of a 2x2 matrix:

| a11 a12 |-1 | a21 a22 | = | a22 -a12 | 1/DET * | -a21 a11 |

with DET

a11a22-a12a21

The inverse of a 3x3 matrix:

| a11 a12 a13 |-1 | a21 a22 a23 | | a31 a32 a33 | with DET = = | a33a22-a32a23 -(a33a12-a32a13) a23a12-a22a13 | 1/DET * | -(a33a21-a31a23) a33a11-a31a13 -(a23a11-a21a13) | | a32a21-a31a22 -(a32a11-a31a12) a22a11-a21a12 |

a11(a33a22-a32a23)-a21(a33a12-a32a13)+a31(a23a12-a22a13)

Alexander Thomas www.dr-lex.be