Tutorial 9 - Matrices Page 1 of 3

Tutorial 9 - Matrices
Questions with Answers

1. The matrix, A, is given by

 
1 2 3
 −1 0 1
A=
 2 −2
.
4
1 5 −3

Identify the elements a13 and a31 .

Answer
The element a13 is 3, while the element a31 is 2.

2. Given that    
1 2 −3 2 −1 3
A= , B=
−1 0 4 4 1 2
find the matrices A + B, A − B and 2A − 3B.

Answer

 
3 1 0
A+B =
3 1 6
 
−1 3 −6
A−B =
−5 −1 2
 
−4 7 −15
2A − 3B =
−14 −3 2

3. Express the matrix  

2 1 3
A =  −2 0 1
3 1 2
as the sum of a symmetric matrix and a skew-symmetric matrix.

101MP Algebra james.griffin@coventry.ac.uk

Tutorial 9 - Matrices Page 2 of 3

Answer
     
2 1 3 2 −1/2 3 0 3/2 0
A = −2 0 1 = −1/2 0 1 + −3/2 0 0
3 1 2 3 1 2 0 0 0

4. Let    
4 2 −2 −1
A= , B= .
2 1 4 2
Show that AB = 0, but that BA 6= 0.

Answer
N/A

 
1 3
5. Let A = −1 2. Find the products AAt and At A. Conjecture a general
0 1
property of these products and prove your conjectures.

Answer
 
10 5 3  
t t 2 1
AA =  5 5 2  and A A = .
1 14
3 2 1
Both are symmetric, conjecture that they are symmetric in general. Proof:

(AAt )t = (At )t At = AAt

where the first equality is via the general property (AB)t = Bt At and the
second equality is using the property (At )t = A.

The version for At A is similar.

6. Find the determinants of each of the following matrices:

     
1 1 2 3 1 0
a) b) c)
2 −1 −7 11 0 −2

101MP Algebra james.griffin@coventry.ac.uk

Tutorial 9 - Matrices Page 3 of 3

 
    7 0 5
10 −7 99 100 15 1 −4
d) e) f)
8 0 97 98
4 0 3
Answer

a) −3 b) 43 c) −2
d) 56 e) 2 f) 1

7. Find the inverse for each of the following matrices:

     
1 1 2 3 1 0
a) b) c)
2 −1 −7 11 0 −2
   
10 −7 99 100
d) e)
8 0 97 98
Answer
     
1 1 1 1 11 −3 1 0
a) b) c)
3 2 −1 43 7 2 0 −1/2
   
1 10 −7 1 98 −100
d) e)
56 8 0 2 −97 99

8. Find the inverse for each of the following matrices:

 
    1 5 0 2
1 0 1 1 5 −1 0 −3 0 −1
a) 0 1 −1 b)  −3 1 −1 c)  
0 3 1 1
2 1 0 3 1 1
0 2 1 1

Answer

 
    1 2 1 −1
−1 −1 1 2 −6 −4
1 0 0 1 −1
a)  2 2 −1 b) 0 4 4 c) 
0

8 1 1 0
2 1 −1 −6 7 16
0 −1 −3 3

101MP Algebra james.griffin@coventry.ac.uk