Matrices Problem Class Page 1 of 1

Matrices Problem Class

1. Let    
1 3 −5 1 −2 0
A = 0 2 4  and B = 0 1 −1
0 0 3 0 0 −2
Calculate AB and BA. What do you notice about these matrices? Form a
conjecture about the multiplication of two upper triangular matrices. Can you
prove it?

Now calculate the inverse B−1 . Is it always true that the inverse of an upper
triangular matrix is upper triangular?

2. Suppose that A and B are symmetric matrices, is it true that AB is symmetric?

If so then prove it. If not, then find a counterexample: i.e. a find a pair of
symmetric matrices A, B such that AB is not symmetric.

3. Suppose that P is an orthogonal matrix (meaning that Pt P = PPt = I) and that

A is a symmetric matrix. Prove that P−1 AP is symmetric.

4. A permutation matrix S is a square matrix, such that each row and each
column contains exactly one 1, with the remaining entries 0. For example
 
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0
 
T=  0 0 0 0 1 

1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0

is a permutation matrix. Calculate det( T ).

Prove that for any permutation matrix S, det(S) = ±1.

[Hint: Two possible approaches, 1) reorder the rows or columns, or 2) show

that S is orthogonal.]

Mathematics - Dr James Griffin, November 24, 2015 exercises-7-matrices.tex