MTH 102: Linear Algebra

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Indian Institute of Technology - Kanpur

Problem Set 1
Problems marked (T) are for discussions in Tutorial sessions.
1. (T) If A is an m n matrix, B is an n p matrix and D is a p s matrix, then show that
A(BD) = (AB)D (Associativity holds).
2. If A is an m n matrix, B and C are n p matrices and D is a p s matrix, then show that
(a) A(B + C) = AB + AC (Distributive law holds).
(b) (B + C)D = BD + CD (Distributive law holds).
 
 
x
x
3. (T) Let A and B be 2 2 real matrices such that A
=B
for all (x, y) R2 . Prove that
y
y
A = B.
4. Let A and B be m n real matrices such that Ax = Bx for all x Rn . Then, A = B
5. For two matrices A and B show that
(a) (A + B)T = AT + B T if A + B is defined.
(b) (AB)T = B T AT if AB is defined.
6. If A and B are symmetric matrices, which of these matrices are necessarily symmetric?
(a) A2 B 2
(b) (A + B)(A B)
(c) ABA
(d) ABAB
7. Prove that every square matrix can be uniquely written as a sum of a Hermitian matrix (A = A)
and a skew-Hermitian matrix (A = A).
8. Give examples of 3 3 nonzero matrices A and B such that
(a) An = 0, for some n > 1.
(b) B 3 = B.
9. If AB = BA then show that (A + B)m =

Pm

i=0

m
i

Ami B i .

10. Show by an example that if AB 6= BA then (A + B)2 = A2 + 2AB + B 2 need not hold.
11. If an n n real matrix A satisfies the relation AAT = 0 then show that A = 0. Is the same true
if A is a complex matrix? Show that if A is a n n complex matrix and AAT = 0 then A = 0.
12. Find two 2 2 invertible matrices A and B such that A 6= cB, for any scalar c and A + B is not
invertible.

2
13. Let A and B be two n n invertible matrices. Show that (AB)1 = B 1 A1 .
14. Let A be a nilpotent matrix. Show that I + A is invertible.
15. Let A be a 5 5 invertible matrix with row sums 1. That is

5
P

aij = 1 for 1 i 5. Then,

j=1

prove that the sum of all the entries of A1 is 5.

16. (T) Let A and B be two n n matrices. Define
Tr (A) =

n
X

aii .

i=1

Then show that Tr (AB) = Tr (BA). Hence or otherwise, show that if A is invertible then
Tr (ABA1 ) = Tr (B).
17. (T) The parabola y = a + bx + cx2 goes through the points (x, y) = (1, 4), (2, 8) and (3, 14).
Find and solve a matrix equation for the unknowns (a, b, c).

1 1 1
18. Let A = 1 x y with x and y distinct numbers different from 1. Is A invertible?
1 x2 y 2
19. (T) Find the numbers a and b such that
1
4 1 1 1
a
1

b
4
1
1

=
1 1
b
4 1
1 1 1
4
b

b
a
b
b

b
b
a
b

b
b

b
a

20. Let J be an n n matrix with every entry 1. Determine condition(s) of a and b such that the
n n matrix bJ + (a b)I is invertible. Find and in terms of a and b such that the inverse
has the form J + I.