Rank of a Matrix

Arun Kumar Pandey

The rank of a matrix is defined as 


(a). the maximum number of linearly independent column vectors in the matrix or 

(b). the maximum number of linearly independent row vectors in the matrix. Both 

definitions are equivalent.


In a matrix of m × n dimension: m → row, n → column

For an m × n matrix


* If m < n, then the maximum rank of the matrix is m.


* If m > n, then the maximum rank of the matrix is n.

The rank of a matrix would be zero only if the matrix had no elements. If a matrix had

even one element, its minimum rank would be one.

How to Find Matrix Rank: This method assumes familiarity with Echelon

matrices and Echelon transformations.


- The maximum number of linearly independent vectors in a matrix is equal to the 


number of non-zero rows in its row Echelon matrix. Therefore, to find the rank of a 


matrix, we simply transform the matrix to its row echelon form and count the number 


of non-zero rows.

Echelon Forms:


A matrix is in row echelon form (ref) when it satisfies the following conditions.

• The first non-zero element in each row, called the leading entry, is 1.
• Each leading entry is in a column to the right of the leading entry in 

the previous row.
 • Rows with all zero elements, if any, are below rows having a non-zero element.




A matrix is in reduced row Echelon form when it satisfies the following conditions.

• The matrix is in row echelon form (i.e., it satisfies the three conditions listed above).
• The leading entry in each row is the only non-zero entry in its column.
A matrix in echelon form is called an Echelon matrix.


A = row Echelon matrix


B = reduced row Echelon form


Example: row Echelon matrix

Example: row reduced Echelon matrix


Transform a Matrix Into Its Echelon Forms:


1). Pivot the matrix


a). Find the pivot, the first non-zero entry in the first column of the matrix.


b). Interchange rows, moving the pivot row to the first row.


c). Multiply each element in the pivot row by the inverse of the pivot, so the pivot 


equals 1.


d). Add multiples of the pivot row to each of the lower rows, so every element in the 


pivot column of the lower rows equals 0.


2). To get the matrix in row echelon form, repeat the pivot

 a). Repeat the procedure from Step 1 above, ignoring previous pivot rows.


b). Continue until there are no more pivots to be processed.


3). To get the matrix in reduced row echelon form, process non-zero entries above each

pivot.


a). Identify the last row having a pivot equal to 1, and let this be the pivot row.


b). Add multiples of the pivot row to each of the upper rows, until every element 


above the pivot equals 0.


c). Moving up the matrix, repeat this process for each row.

Example:
Eigen Value of a matrix

Suppose A is an n × n matrix. 

- An eigenvalue of A is a number λ such that Av = λv for some nonzero vector v. 

- Any eigenvector of A is a nonzero vector v such that Av = λv for some number 

λ.



Terminology:

Let A be an n × n matrix. 



• The determinant | λI − A | (for unknown λ) is called the characteristic 

polynomial of A. (The zeros of this polynomial are the eigenvalues of A.) 

• The equation | λI − A | = 0 is called the characteristic equation of A. (The 

solutions of this equation are the eigenvalues of A.) 

• If λ is an eigenvalue of A, then the subspace Eλ = {v | Av = λv} is called the 

eigenspace of A associated with λ. (This subspace contains all the 

eigenvectors with eigenvalue λ, and also the zero vector.) 

• An eigenvalue λ* of A is said to have multiplicity m if, when the characteristic 

polynomial is factorised into linear factors, the factor (λ − λ*) appears m 

times. 


Theorems 



Let A be an n × n matrix.



• The matrix A has n eigenvalues (including each according to its multiplicity). 

• The sum of the n eigenvalues of A is the same as the trace of A (that is, the 

sum of the diagonal elements of A). 

• The product of the n eigenvalues of A is the same as the determinant of A. 

• If λ is an eigenvalue of A, then the dimension of Eλ is at most the multiplicity of 

λ. 

• A set of eigenvectors of A, each corresponding to a different eigenvalue of A, 

is a linearly independent set. 

• If λ n + cn−1λ n−1 + . . . . . c1λ + c0 is the characteristic polynomial of A, then 

cn−1 = − trace(A) and c0 = (−1)n | A | .

• If λ n + cn−1λ n−1 + . . . . . c1λ + c0 is the characteristic polynomial of A, then 

A n + cn−1 A n−1 + . . . . . c1 A + c0 I = 0 (The Cayley-Hamilton Theorem.)