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Calculate determinants.
1. INTRODUCTION
In tutorial 1 on matrices you were introduced to some of the basic terms and
operations that we can do with them. In this tutorial we shall look at more advanced
ideas and how they are used to solve simultaneous equations.
D.J. Dunn
X=Bb
This gives a numerical solution for X. The problem is finding the matrix B such that AB = I. This is
a matrix called the inverse matrix and we must understand the following work in order to find it.
3. DETERMINANTS
The determinant of a matrix is a single number that results from performing a specific operation on
the array. It will be used later to solve simultaneous equations. The determinant of a matrix A is
denoted as det A or A. The rule for finding the determinant can only be applied to a square
matrix and the following is an explanation of it. For a single element array the determinant is the
element. A = [a11] A= a 11
For a 2 x 2 array the determinant is found as follows.A= (a11 a22) - (a12 a21)
WORKED EXAMPLE No.1
Calculate A
SOLUTION
A= (2)(-2) (3)(4) = -4 - 12 = -16
WORKED EXAMPLE No.2
Find the determinant of a 2 x 2 unit matrix.
SOLUTION
A= (1)(1) (0)(0) = 1
D.J. Dunn
The cofactor is numerically the same as the minor but changes sign for
every position in the row or column and the change in sign is indicated by
the pattern shown. This is designated with a letter corresponding to the
elements so in this case the minor would be A32 and from the sign pattern
we find A32 = M32.
Consider how we find the determinant of the following 3 x 3 matrix.
STEP 1
Put a line through row 1 and column 1 leaving the elements shown.
Find the determinant of the 2 x 2 array enclosed in the square. This is called
the MINOR of a11 and designated M11.
The COFACTOR is A11 = M11
STEP 2
Put a line through row 1 and column 2 leaving the elements shown. Form
these into a 2 x 2 array and find the determinant. The result is the Minor
M12. The COFACTOR is A12 = - M12
STEP 3
Put a line through row 1 and column 3 leaving the elements shown. Form
these into a 2 x 2 array and find the determinant. The result is the Minor M13.
The COFACTOR is A13 = M13
The determinant of the whole array is now found from :
A= a11 A11 + a12 A12 + a13 A13
For larger arrays the method is the same but the process is repeated until we are left with a 2 x 2
array. The cofactors take on the sign as indicated by the element position shown.
D.J. Dunn
a12 = -2 A12 = -1
a12 = 4
A13 = -1
A= a11 A11 + a12 A12 + a13 A13 = (2) (-13) + (-2)(-1) + (4)(-1) = -20
Answers A= 4
D.J. Dunn
B= -38
C= -11
5. ADJOINT MATRIX
Another concept used in matrix methods is the Adjoint or Adjugate matrix. This has very useful
properties in the solution of problems. This is a matrix formed from all the cofactors of the original
matrix and then transposed. We designate this with adj
If we had 3 x 3 matrix designated A, the Adjoint is given as:
D.J. Dunn
An important point to emerge here is that A adj A always produces a square matrix with all
elements zero except the leading diagonal which has all the same elements.
Recall that:
A unit matrix is one with all elements zero except the leading diagonal in which the
elements are 1.
It follows that the product of a constant (A) with the unit matrix is as shown.
The determinant of a matrix with all the leading elements A and all other elements zero, is A. Hence
if a unit matrix is multiplied by det A, the elements of the leading diagonal will all be det A
It also follows that A adj A = det A x the unit matrix. i.e.
In the last example, the determinant of matrix A is clearly -3 and this could be verified by finding
det A by the usual method.
6. INVERSE MATRIX
We are on the last stage now and next we will be able to solve simultaneous equations. Suppose we
had two matrices A and B such that the product is the unit matrix, i.e.
AB = I and it follows that BA = I
Matrix B is the inverse of matrix A so we denote it A1 and replace B with this, so AA1 = I
We have already used the relationship A adj A =A I
So equating we have
A adj A =A AA1
adj A =A A1
D.J. Dunn
SOLUTION
First find all the cofactors.
D.J. Dunn
Next we need to make the element below the 1 into a zero. This is achieved by multiplying row
1 by -3 and adding it to row 2 to form a new row 2. This is within the rules explained above.
Now we must make the last element into 1 by dividing the second row by -11
Now the last operation is to make the 3 into a 0 and this can be done by multiplying row 2 by -3
and adding it to row 1.
The solution is x = 4, y = -1
D.J. Dunn
1 2
2
22
1 3
1 3 3
1 2
1 3
22
1 3 3
1 2
0
1 2
0
1 2 1 3
R1 R 2
3 1 22
2 1 3 3
R 2 3R1 R 2
R3 2 R1 R3
1 2
1 3
57
53
1 3 1
1 2
1 3
R 2 R2
5 7 7
0 1 5 / 7 1
53
0 3
5 3
1 2
1
3
R 3 3R2 R3
0 1
5 / 7 1
5 / 7 1
0 0 20 / 7 0
5 3
1
1 2
1 3 R 2 + 5 R3 R2 1 2 0 3
7
0 1 0 1
0 1 5 / 7 1
R1 R3 R1
0 0 1 0
0 0
1 0
1 0 01
1 2 0 3
R1 + 2 R2 R1
0 1 0 1
0 1 0 1
0 0 1 0
0 0 1 0
hence x = 1, y = -1 and z = 0
This method requires a bit of intuition so a method that uses strict rules is covered next.
D.J. Dunn
Now solve X = A1 b
These values may be substituted back into the original equations to check them out.
D.J. Dunn
10
x+y+z=1
xyz=1
x + y z = -3
2.
x - 2y - 2z = 16
2x + 3y = 5
5x + 2y 2z = 36
3.
x + 2y + 3z = 1
2x + 3y z = -3
x + 4y 2z = -8
4.
2x 3y = -9
2x + 3y = 15
5.
5x 2y = 28
3x + 2y = 4
Answers are on the next page.
D.J. Dunn
11
ANSWERS to SAE 2
1. x = 1, y = -2 z = 2
2. x = 10 y = -5 z = 2
3. x = 2 y = -2 z = 1
4. x = 1.5
y=4
5. x = 4
y = -4
D.J. Dunn
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