LESSON ONE: MATRICES

Introduction
Welcome to your first lesson in this course. In this first lesson, we will want to define the
term ‘Matrices’ as it may be new to you. If you have done work with matrices before, then
this is a good opportunity to refresh your memory.

This first lesson should be completed in two hours.

Specific Objectives

At the end of the lesson students will be able to:

 Define and identify a matrix.

 State relationships between given matrices accurately.
 Perform the operations of addition, subtraction and scalar multiplication when
dealing with multiple matrices, accurately.

What is needed?

 Paper
 Pencil

1.1 So let’s begin by defining this concept of a ‘Matrix’. A matrix is defined as an array of
elements, written in rows and columns, enclosed in brackets. These elements can be
numeric or alphabetic. Examples of matrices are:
 0
   a 2
2 3 ,  1  ,   . You notice that the shape of the matrix is dependent on the
 2 4 b
 
arrangement of the elements it contains. Can you tell me how many rows and columns are
present in each of the matrices above? In the first, there are two elements written in one
(horizontal) line, i.e. one row. The elements, though, are in two separate columns, i.e.
individual vertical lines. Such a matrix is called a row matrix. What about the second
matrix? Do you see that the elements are in three rows, but in one vertical line or column?
That’s right; such matrices are referred to as column matrices. Understanding the make-
up of a matrix is very important, as you will see later on, so ensure you get this clear.
A matrix is also said to have an order, which is determined by the number of rows and
columns it contains. By convention the dimension are given by number of rows times the number of
columns( 𝐑 × 𝐂).
In our first example, the matrix is said to have a 1 2 order. Can you see how I got that,
based on what I said the order depends? Correct! It is the number of rows of the matrix by
the number of columns. So what would be the order of the second and third examples?
Good! Since the second matrix has 3 rows and 1 column, it is a 3 1 matrix, and the third is
a 2  2 matrix.
Matrices with an order like the third, where the number of rows equals the number of
columns, are called square matrices.
When, would you say, two matrices are equal? Of course! Matrices are equal only if
corresponding elements are the same. Thus equal matrices must have the same, what?
Correct! Equal matrices must have the same order.
Ok, we will now consider some basic operations with matrices. Have your pencils ready?
Good! Let’s begin!

Exercise 1)

1 8 9  1 2 
  
A = 2 3 , B =  2 5 2 and C=  0 4 
 0 8 0  
  0  8
 
1. (a)Identify the order of the matrices above.
(b) Which one is a square matrix? A, B or C?
 2. Write examples of a row, column and square matrix.

Operations with Matrices

We will begin with the operations of addition and subtraction. How, do you think, we can
add or subtract one matrix to or from another? What condition must first be met? To help
you find the answer, look at the problems below:
 3  8
a)    2 5  ?
0 1 

  2  4 
   
b)  2     3   ?
 0   1 
   
Which of the two operations seems more logical? If you said the second, then I totally agree
with you! I mean, how would you know which element in the first matrix of problem (a) is
to be added to which element in the second? So seeing that the second problem is the more
logical problem mathematically, how would you begin to compute the result? It would seem
that the operation is done between corresponding elements, right? That’s correct. For
addition and subtraction, the operations are carried out between or among matrices of the
same order and the corresponding elements therein.

Here are some examples done for you.

Example 1)
To add or subtract matrices of the same dimensions, we simply add/subtract corresponding entries.
Example

Example 2)
 1 4   3  1
Given that A    and B    , find
 0  6 1 2 
a) A-B
b) B-A
c) A+B
d) B+A

Solution
 1 4   3  1
a) A – B =   -  
 0  6  1 2 

 1  3 4  1 
=  
 0  1  6  2 
 2 5 
=  
 1  8

 3  1  1 4 
b) B – A =   -  
 1 2   0  6
 3 1 1  4
=  
  1  0 2  6 
 2  5
=  
 1 8 

 1 4   3  1
c) A + B =   +  
 0  6  1 2 
 1  3 4  1 
=  
 0  1  6  2 
4 3 
=  
 1  4

 3  1  1 4 
d) B +A =   +  
 1 2   0  6
  3  1 1  4
=  
  1  0 2  6 
4 3 
=  
 1  4

Here’s a quick activity. And I want you to complete it without looking back into your old
notebooks, ok?

 Activity 1:  5 minutes

It’s a brief one; do not take more than 5 minutes to complete it. Here’s
what you do:
 Examine carefully, the example complete above.
 Can you identify the mathematical laws evident here?
 What are they?

Exercise 2)

1. B= . Show that A + B = B + A. What is the name of this property?

2. B= . Show that A - B ≠ B - A. Does the commutative property for

subtraction hold for matrices? Why or why not?

3. Y= . Show that X + Y = Y + X. What is the name of this property?

4. Y= . Show that X - Y ≠ Y - X.

5. B= and C=

(a) Show that A + (B + C) = (A + B) + C. This is associative property over addition for matrices.
(b) Show that 3(A + B + C) = 3A + 3B + 3C. What is the name of this property?
 Checkpoint:
See how mathematics is a truly harmonious subject? Beautiful, isn’t it! It is always a good
thing to look for the ways in which concepts are linked or brought out, even as you work in
differing topic areas.

Feedback 
Did you identify the Associative and Commutative Laws in Activity 1)?
The Associative law says that if you are performing an operation with more than two
terms, then grouping the terms in any order does not change the result. An example of that
is: (A+B) +C = A+ (B+C). Remember that? Of course this law does not hold for all operators!
The other law is the Commutative law and this says that the arrangement of the terms in a
problem does not affect the result, though it depends on the operation being performed as
well. An example: A+B = B+A.

Scalar Multiplication of a Matrix

We are going to introduce another operation at this point and that is scalar multiplication.
It is called such because we will multiply the matrices by scalar values, which are simply
real numbers. Look at the example done for you and identify what is involved in scalar
multiplication.
Example 3)
2
 
Given that A   5 , find:
  1
 
a) 2A
1
b) A
3
Solution
2
 
2A  2  A  2   5 
  1
 
 2  2 
a)  
2A   2  5 
 2  1
 
 4 
 
2 A   10 
  2
 

Can you see how it is done? What was it that was done with the scalar? Let’s see if you are
correct as we examine another part of the example. This time our scalar is a fraction. Will
this affect the solution as you have determined? Let’s see...
2
1 1 1  
A   A   5 
3 3 3  
  1
1 
 2 
 3 
b)
1
A  1
5 
3  3 
1 
  1
3 
 2 
 3 
1
A 5 
3  3 
1 
 3

Feedback 
Well, from our example it can be seen that scalar multiplication requires that we multiply
each and every element in the matrix by that scalar quantity. Whether the scalar quantity
is whole or fractional has no bearing on how this type of multiplication is done.

Example 3)
 b 1 3 2 7 3 
Given that A    , B    and C    and that A+B =C, determine the values of
 c 9 c 1  8 10 
b and c.

Solution:
b 1 3 2
A  B      
 c 9 c 1
b  3 1  2
A  B   
 c  c 9  1
b  3 3 
A  B   
 2c 10 
Since A+B = C, then
b  3 3  7 3 
    
 2c 10   8 10 
Thus :
b3  7
b4
And
2c  8
c4
Notice that to find the values of the elements, we simply equate corresponding elements
since the two matrices are equal.

Exercise 3)
 2  3  0 12   a 9
Given that A   , B   and C    , find:
  11 4   8  3  3 b
a) 2A
b) 6B
c) A + B
d) 2A - 3B
e) ½B
f) a and b if C = A + B
 Summary:
 The order of a matrix, m n , means m number of rows by n number of columns.
 The operations of addition and subtraction can be carried out only if the matrices are
of the same order.
 Scalar multiplication is the operation of multiplying each element of a matrix by
some scalar quantity.

Answers
Ex. 1)
1. a) 1 x 2 b) 3 x 3 c) 3 x 2

Ex. 2)
−3 4 −3 4
1. 𝐴 + 𝐵 = ( ) and 𝐵+𝐴 = ( ), commutative property
−2 2 −2 2

−7 2 7 −2
2. 𝐴 − 𝐵 = ( ) and 𝐵−𝐴 = ( ), commutative property don’t
−8 6 8 −6
hold.
2 −5 2 −5
3. 𝑋 + 𝑌 = ( ) and 𝑌+𝑋 = ( ), commutative property
1 1 1 1
6 3 −6 −3
4. 𝑋 − 𝑌 = ( ) and 𝑌−𝑋 = ( )
−5 5 5 −5

Ex. 3)
4 −6
a) ( )
−22 8
0 72 )
b) (
48 −18
2 9)
c) (
−3 1
4 −42
d) ( )
−46 17
0 6 )
e) (
4 −1.5
f) 𝑎 = 2, 𝑏 = 1