TOPIC: Matrices 1

SUB-TOPIC: Definition and Types of Matrices

Note: The singular word for matrices is a matrix.

Definition: A matrix is defined as a rectangular array of numbers following certain laws of
combination.
The order of a matrix
A matrix of m-row and n-column is said to have an order m x n.
Examples showing order of a matrix
Notation Order
2
1. 2 x 1 i.e 2 by 1 matrix
3

2. 123 1 x 3 i.e 1 by 3 matrix

1 0
3. 2 x 2 i.e 2 by 2 matrix
1 1
2 0

1 1
4. 3 x 2 i.e 3 by 2 matrix
3 2
1 0 1

5. 2 2 2 2 x 3 i.e 2 by 3 matrix
3 0 2

6. 2 2 0 3 x 3 i.e 3 by 3 matrix

1 3 5

Types of Matrices
(1) Column matrix: Is a matrix with a single column of elements. See example (i) above.
(2) Row matrix: Is a matrix with a single row of elements. See example (ii) above.
(3) Square matrix: Is a matrix which has equal number of rows and columns. See examples
(iii) and (vi) above.
(4) Null matrix: It is a matrix which has all its elements to be zero.
(5) Unit matrix: It is a matrix in which all the elements on a principal diagonal are equal and
all non-diagonal elements are equal to zero.
(6) Identify matrix: It is a matrix with 1 in the leading diagonal and zero elsewhere.
Examples of an identity matrix.
1 0
2 x 2 identity matrix
0 1
1 0 0
3 x 3 identity matrix
0 1 0

1 0 0 0

0 1 0 0
4 x 4 identity matrix
0 0 1 0

0 0 0 1
The identity matrix is usually represented by 1. It should be noted that all identity matrices are
square matrices.

CLASS WORK:
1. Define Matrix
2. Give three notations alongside their order of your choice.
3. Give any two examples of types of matrices.

ASSIGNMENT:
Students were instructed to go through all they have been taught at home