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A matrix is an array of numbers, written within a set of [ ] brackets, and arranged into a
pattern of rows and columns. For example:
" # 1 0 0
1 2 3 h i
, 0 1 0 ,
21 7 −4 9
4 5 6
0 0 1
The order (or size, or dimension) of a matrix is written as “m × n” where m = the number
of rows, and n = the number of columns. For example, the matrices above have dimensions
2 × 3, 3 × 3 and 1 × 4.
When a matrix is multiplied by a real number (called a scalar), each element is multiplied by
the scalar. The result is another matrix of the same order.
Examples:
2 1 4×2 4×1 8 4
(i) 4 −3 9
= 4 × −3 4 × 9 = −12 36
0 −5 4×0 4 × −5 0 −20
1h i h i
(ii) 7 8 −10 6 0.4 = 3.5 4 −5 3 0.2
2
" # " # " # " # " #
5 −3 3 4 10 −6 9 12 1 −18
(iii) 2 − 3 = − =
0 −6 −1 7 0 −12 −3 21 3 −33
Matrices 2007 Maths IA & IMA Revision/2
When giving matrices a name, use capital letters such as A, B, etc to distinguish them from
algebraic scalars such as a, b, etc.
Exercises
(1) Given that
" # " # " # " # 0 1
−1 2 0 7 1 −3 1 2 11 5
A= B= C= D= E= 1 0
4 5 3 2 0 6 −4 9 0 −2
0 3
find the following (if possible):
Matrix Multiplication
" # " #
13 19 16 22
(iv) CD = but DC = so CD 6= DC.
27 43 27 40
Notes: 1. The identity is an exception to the general rule for matrix multiplication since
CI = IC = C.
2. Identity matrices only exist for square matrices. The matrix I used in Ex-
amples (v) and (vi) is called “the identity
matrix
for a 2 × 2 matrix”. The
1 0 0
identity matrix for a 3 × 3 matrix is 0 1 0 .
0 0 1
Exercises
" # " # −1 1 2 0 " #
1 0 2 3 1 −3 2
A= B= C= 2 D= 0 1 2 E=
−1 −2 3 1 2 1 7
2 −1 3 4
(2) Using the above matrices, calculate the following (if possible):
For square matrices, we define the inverse “A−1 ” as having the property that
A × A−1 = A−1 × A = I.
" #
a b
If A = then
c d
" #
1 d −b
A−1 =
det(A) −c a
Notes: 1. A−1 can not be found by rearrangement (A−1 = I ÷ A), because division is
not defined for matrices.
2. A matrix has no inverse if its determinant (ad − bc) equals 0 (hence the name
“determinant”).
3. A−1 , if it exists, is unique.
" # " # " #
1 2 −1 1 4 −2 1 4 −2
Example: If A = then A = =−
3 4 1×4−2×3 −3 1 2 −3 1
Exercises
(3) Show that the following pairs of matrices are inverses.
" # " # " # " #
3 4 7 −4 3 2 1 −2
(a) and (b) and
5 7 −5 3 1 1 −1 3
1 3 3 7 −3 −3
(c) 1 3 4 and −1 0 1
1 4 3 −1 1 0
(4) Using the formula, find the inverses of the following matrices (if they exist).
" # " # " # " # " # " #
7 18 3 2 2 1 1 6 2 −3 2 1 6
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
2 8 1 2 4 2 3 4 1 5 3 0 1
Matrices 2007 Maths IA & IMA Revision/5
−x + 2y = 0
x + y = 3
If a unique solution exists, we can use the inverse matrix to solve the system, as follows:
AX = B
−1
⇒ A AX = A−1 B Note that A−1 has been pre-multiplied on both sides.
Since order of multiplication is important, we can’t use
BA−1 (i.e. post-multiplication) on the RHS since we pre-
multiplied on the LHS.
X = A−1"B #" #
1 1 −2 0
= −
3 −1 −1 3
" #
1 −6
= −
3 −3
" #
2
=
1
Hence x = 2 and y = 1 is the answer (check by substituting back into the original equations).
Exercises
(5) Rewrite the following pairs of equations in the form of a matrix equation, AX = B, and
solve (if a unique solution exists) using the inverse matrix of A.
(a) x − y = 5 (b) 5x + y = 7 (c) x + 2y = 8
x + y = 1 3x − 4y = 18 3x + 6y = 15
(d) 2x + 3y = 11
6x + 9y = 33
Matrices 2007 Maths IA & IMA Revision/6
Determinant of a 3 × 3 matrix
The inverse of a 3 × 3 matrix can be found using row operations (see revision sheet on Solving
Linear Equations) but the determinant is as follows:
a b c
If A = d e f
then
g h i
e f d f d e
det(A) = |A| = a − b + c .
h i g i g h
This may seem like a complicated definition but the determinant can be thought of as a “first
row expansion”, where each entry in the first row is multiplied by the 2 × 2 determinant
created by removing the row and column containing that entry. Notice also that the signs
connecting the three terms alternate (+, −, +).
Examples:
3 2 1
0 2 4 2 4 0
(i) 4 0 2 = 3 − 2 + = 3(0 − 4) − 2(12 − 2) + (8 − 0) = −24
2 3 1 3 1 2
1 2 3
−1 2 0
0 −2 3 −2 3 0
(ii) 3 0 −2 = − − 2 + 0 = −(0 + 4) − 2(−6 + 4) + 0 = 0
2 −2 2 −2 2 2
2 2 −2
Exercises
(6) Find the following determinants:
1 −1 1 1 2 1 −3 1 −2 3 3 −2
(a) 0 2 0 (b) 3 0 1
(c) 2 1 1 (d) 0 0 0
1 −1 −1 1 −1
1 1 2 4 2 2 1
a b c
(7) Show that the upper triangular matrix 0 e f has determinant aei.
0 0 i
Matrices 2007 Maths IA & IMA Revision/7
Answers to Exercises
" # " # " #
6 3 −3 12 7 −10 −3
(1) (a) (b) same as (a) (c) (d)
6 5 9 −4 7 −4 11
" # " #
10 3 −3 6 0
(e) (f) not possible (g) not possible (h)
4 −11 12 15 9
" #
13 9
(i) (j) not possible
−8 16
" #
2 3 1
(2) (a) (b) not possible (c) D (d) D
−8 −5 −5
3 " #
6
(e) not possible (f) 6 (g) (h) not possible
3
15
" #
11 8
(i) E 2 = EE = (j) not possible
4 51
2 9
− 10
" # " #
1 8 −18 5 1 2 −2
(4) (a) or (b)
20 −2 7 1
− 10 7 4 −1 3
20
" #
1 4 −6
(c) determinant = 0 so no inverse exists (d) −
14 −3 1
" #
1 5 3
(e) (f) no inverse as the matrix is not square
13 −1 2