Maths-2 | Live Session | Week-1

Karthik Thiagarajan

1. System of Linear Equations 2

1.1. 2
1.2. 3
1.3. 4
1.4. 5
1.5. 6
1.6. 8
1.7. 9
1.8. 10
1.9. 11
1.10. 12
2. Determinants 13
2.1. 13
2.2. 14
2.3. 15
2.4. 16
2.5. 17
2.6. 18
2.7. 19
2.8. 20
2.9. 21
2.10. 22
2.11. 23
2.12. 24
2.13. 25
2.14. 26
2.15. 27
2.16. 28
2.17. 29
2.18. 30
2.19. 31
2.20. 32
2.21. 33
2.22. 34
1. System of Linear Equations

1.1.

x -x x +2 = 0

x -x
1 2 3

= 2

x x
2 3

2 + 3 = 4

This system is represented as Ax b. Find A, x and b. Solve for x. How

=

many solutions does this system have?

- x
A - x x b
1 2 1 1 0

= , = , =

x
0 1 1 2 2

0 1 1 3
4

x x -x
x x x -
+2 = 0

x -x
1 2 3

= 2 ⟹ = 3, = 1, = 5

x x
2 3 2 3 1

2
+ 3
= 4

- 5

3 is the only solution to this system.

1
1.2.
Give a geometric representation of every possible system of linear
equations in two variables with two equations.

Case-1: Unique solution

Case-2: No Solutions

Case-3: Infinitely Many Solutions

1.3.
What happens if we scale every equation of a system of linear equations by
a non-zero constant c? Answer this both algebraically and geometrically.
Scaling an equation by a non-zero c does not change the equation. For
example:

c x y z c x y z
c x- y z c x- y z
⋅ (2 +3 +5 ) = ⋅ 10 2 +3 +5 = 10

c x z c x z
⋅( + ) = ⋅ 15 ↔ + = 15

⋅( + ) = ⋅ 25 + = 25

Geometrically, the line doesn't change as a result of scaling.

2⋅( x y
+ ) = 2⋅1 ⟹ x y+ = 1
1.4.

Is the following statement true or false: If the system Ax b has a

=

solution, say x , then we can express it as x A- b.

* *
=
1

This statement is false. Generating a counter example:

x
1
*
= 0

x x -x
2 + = 1

x -x
1 2 3

1 3
= 0

- x
A x x b
1

-
2 1 1 1
= , = , =

x
2
1 0 1 0
3

A is not a square matrix. Inverse exists only for square matrices. Even if
A is a square matrix, it need not be invertible. For example, consider the
following example:

A =
1

1
1

1
, b =
2

2
→ x *
=
1

Here the system Ax b has a solution x , but it cannot be written as

=
*

A- b as A is not invertible.
1
1.5.
Consider the following system of equations:

ax by c + = (1)

ax by c
1 1 1
(1)
2 + 2 = 2 (2)

What is the relationship between a a b b c c 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 for the system to have

• unique solution
• infinitely many solutions
• no solution

Case-1: Unique Solution

2 x y
+3 = 1
(1)
(2)

3x- y
2 = 5

Assume for the moment that b . Then:

1 ≠ 0

ax by c + =

b y -a x c
1 1 1

= +

y -ab x cb
1 1 1

1 1
= +

y mx c
1 1

= 1
+

• The slope of (1) is m -ab .

1
=
1

-a .
1

is m
b
2
• The slope of (2) 2
=
2

If we want a unique solution, the two lines have to intersect at exactly

one point. If two lines have to intersect at exactly one point, their
slopes must be different:
a b
a b
1 1
Unique Solution ↔ ≠
2 2

Case-2: Infinitely many solutions

 x y
x y
2 +3 = 1
(2) 2 +3 = 1

(1)

Two equations represent the same line if one is a multiple of the other.
For instance, in the following system k (2) = × (1):

ax by c
kax kby kc
+ =

+ =

a b c
a b c
1 1 1
Infinitely many solutions ↔ = =
2 2 2

Case-3: No solutions

2x y +3 = 3

(1)
(2) 2 x y +3 = 1

Slopes are the same but intercepts are different.

a b c
a b c
1 1 1
= ≠
2 2 2
1.6.
Give a geometric representation of a system of three equations in three
unknowns that has a unique solution.

Each equation in three variables represents a plane in R . If there is a

3

unique solution, three planes intersect at a point.

Eq-1 Eq-3

Eq-2
1.7.
If we have five equations in two variables, what is the most likely
outcome?

No solution → most likely

1.8.

If x and x Ax b. Find at least one solution for each

are solutions of
of the following systems: Ax and Ax b.
1 2 =

= 0 = 2

Ax b =
Ax Ax b Ax x b
Ax b
1
⟹ 1
+ 2
= 2 ⟹ ( 1
+ 2
) = 2
2 =

Ax b A x - x =

Ax b
1
⟹ ( 1 2) = 0
2 =

Abusing notation. x and x are vectors and not components of the vector x.
1 2
1.9.

Let v be a solution to the systems A x b and A x b. Find at least one

solution to the systems A - A x and A A x b.
1 = 2 =

( 1 2) = 0 ( 1 + 2) = 2

Av b =

Av b
1

2 =

Add and subtract:

( A A v b A -A v
1
+ 2
) = 2 , ( 1 2
) = 0
1.10.
Explain the following terms in the context of a system of linear equations:
• underdetermined
• overdetermined
• consistent
• inconsistent

• underdetermined → more variables than equations

• overdetermined → more equations than variables
• consistent → it has a solution, solvable
– unique
– infinitely many
• inconsistent → no solution
2. Determinants

2.1.

When is the determinant of a 2×2 matrix equal to 0?

Determinants can be represented in this way:

ab ad - bc
cd =

We follow this way:

det ac db = ad - bc
If ad - bc
= 0, then one row/column is a multiple of the other row/column.

To see why:

ad bc a c k a kb c kd
= ⟹
b =
d= ⟹ = , =

ad bc a b k a kc b kd
= ⟹
c =
d= ⟹ = , =
2.2.
What is the geometric interpretation of a determinant?

The absolute value of a 2 × 2 determinant gives the area of the

parallelogram formed by the two column vectors. The absolute value of a
3×3 determinant gives the volume of the parallelepiped formed by the
three column vectors.

2
det 1

2
2

1
2.3.
List the three elementary row operations that you can perform on a matrix.

Elementary Row Operations

• Interchange any two rows of a matrix.
• Add a constant times one row to another row of a matrix.
• Multiply a row by a non-zero constant.

NOTE: performing these operations changes the matrix. These cannot be

performed arbitrarily. They are typically employed while computing
determinants or while solving a system of linear equations. Refer to
Gaussian elimination for more details.
2.4.
List some properties of the determinant.

Determinants are only defined for square matrices.

• Interchanging two rows of a matrix reverses the sign of the

determinant.
• Adding a constant times one row to another row of a matrix leaves the
determinant unchanged.
• Multiplying a row by a constant multiplies the determinant by the
same constant.
• det A det AT
( ) =

• det AB
( det A det B det BA
) = ( )⋅ ( ) = ( )

• If A is invertible det A - det A 1

= 1/ ( )

• det k A
( ⋅ kn det A where A is n n
) = ( ) ×
2.5.

Let A be a matrix with non-zero determinant. If det A k det A ,

k?
3×3 (2 ) = ⋅ ( )

then what will be the value of

Each row is scaled by 2.

det A
(2 ) = 2
3
det A
( ) ⟹ k = 8
2.6.

What is det -A
( ) in terms of det A ?
( )

A is a matrix of size n n. Each row of the matrix is scaled by - .

× 1

det -A - n det A
( ) = ( 1) ( )
2.7.

Is det A B det A det B ?

( + ) = ( )+ ( )

A counter example:

A =
1

0
0

1
, B - - A B
=
1

0
0

1
, + =
0

0
0

det A det B
det A B
( ) = ( ) = 1

det A B det A det B

( + ) = 0

⟹ ( + ) ≠ ( )+ ( )
2.8.

-
-
2 1 1

Find the determinant of .

-
1 3 4

1 0 2

- - -
- - -
2 1 1 2 1 1 0 5 7

- - -
1 3 4 → 1 3 4 → 1 3 4

1 0 2 0 3 6 0 3 6

-
det - - det - - - - -
0 5 7
3 5 7

-
1 3 4 = ( 1) ⋅ = 1 ⋅ (30 21) = 9
3 6
0 3 6
2.9.

a a a
Let A ta - sa ta - sa ta - sa rst det A .
11 12 13

= with , , ≠ 0. Find ( )

ra ra ra
11 31 12 32 13 33

31 32 33

a a a a a a
ta - sata - sa ta - sa ⏪⏪⏫ -sa -sa -sa ⏪⏪⏫
11 12 13 11 12 13
(1) (2)

ra ra ra ra ra ra
11 31 12 32 13 33 31 32 33

a a a a a a a a a
31 32 33 31 32 33

a a a ⏪⏪⏫ a a a ⏪⏪⏫
11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13
(3) (4)

ra
ra ra a a a a a a
31 32 33 31 32 33 0 0 0

31 32 33 31 32 33 31 32 33

The first matrix is A. After operation , we get a matrix whose

determinant is still det A . After the second operation, we get a matrix
(1)

det A . After the third operation, we get a matrix

( )

( )
whose determinant is

det-sA ( )
whose determinant is
-sr . After the fourth operation, we get a matrix

det A , which leads to ( )

whose determinant is . But we see that
0
-sr = 0

det A .
( ) = 0
2.10.

a bc
b ca
1

Compute .
c ab
1

a bc a-b c b-a
b ca b - c a c- b
1 0 ( )

c ab c ab
1 = 0 ( )

1 1

-c
a-b b-c -a
0 1

c ab
= ( )( ) 0 1

= ( a - b b - c - -a c
)( ) ( 1) (
4
+ )

= ( a - b b - c c- a
)( )( )
2.11.

abc
Compute bca .
cab

abc a b ca b ca b c
bca b c a
+ + + + + +

cab c a b
=

a b c bca
1 1 1

cab
= ( + + )⋅

a b c b - c c- a a
0 0 1

= ( + + )⋅

c- a a - b b
= ( a b c b - c a - b - c- a
+ + ) ( )( ) ( )
2

= ( a b c ab- b - ac bc - c - a ac
+ + )
2
+
2 2
+2

= ( a b c ab bc ca - a b c
+ + ) + +
2
+
2
+
2
2.12.

3 2 2

Compute 2 3 2 by expanding along the first row. Verify your answer by

2 1 1
expanding along the first column.

Homework
2.13.

1 0 1 0

0 1 0 1
Compute .
1 0 0 1

0 0 0 1

Homework
2.14.

A i j . What kind
ij ij j i j
0 >
Let = 𝛿 be a matrix of order 3×3 such that 𝛿 =

A? Compute its determinant.

⩽

of a matrix is

Homework
2.15.
What is the determinant of a diagonal matrix?

Product of diagonal entries.

d
d
1

D =
2

dn
⋱

det D d dn
( ) = 1
⋯
2.16.
What is the determinant of a triangular matrix?

Product of diagonal entries

• Upper triangular matrix: Elements below the main diagonal are zero
• Lower triangular matrix: Elements above the main diagonal are zero

a
L db
fec
=

det L abc
( ) =
2.17.
Consider the following system of equations:

ax by c + =

ax by c
1 1 1

2 + 2 = 2

When does the system have

• a unique solution
• infinitely many solutions or no solutions

Express your answer in terms of the determinant of the coefficient matrix.

Let A aa bb
=
1

2
1

Unique Solution

a b a b -a b det aa bb det A
a b
1 1 1 1
≠ ⟹ 1 2 2 1
≠ 0 ⟹ = ( ) ≠ 0
2 2 2 2

infinitely many solutions or no solutions

det A
( ) = 0

To summarize, we have a unique solution when ( ) ≠ 0. When det A det A

( ) = 0,

we cannot comment about the nature of the solution without more

information.
NOTE: what we have done is for the case of a 2 × 2 matrix. We sill study
generalizations of this rule in the upcoming weeks.
2.18.

Find the inverse of any 2×2 invertible matrix. How is the inverse related
to the determinant?

A ac db
=

If you can find a matrixB such that:

BA AB I = =

then B the inverse of A and is denoted by A - . 1

A- ad - bc -cd -ba det A -cd -ba

1
=
1
=
1

( )

Only for 2 × 2 matrices:

• Swap the diagonal elements along the main diagonal.
• Reverse sign of anti-diagonal elements.
• Divide by det A
( )
2.19.

Find det A-
1
in terms of det A .
( )

det AA-
1
= det I
( )

det A det A-
( )
1
= 1

det A-
1
=
1

det A
( )
2.20.

Find det A A An
( 1 ⋅ 2 ⋯ )

det A A An
( 1
( 2
⋯ )) = det A det A An
( 1
)⋅ ( 2
⋯ ) =⋯= det A
( 1
) ⋯ det An
( )
2.21.

Is this statement true: If A is an invertible matrix such that

det A det A-
( ) =
1
, then A has to be the identity matrix.
A counterexample:

A - - A-
=
1

0
0

1
,
1
=
-
0
1

-
0

1
2.22.

a b c
1 1 1

Compute .
a b c
2 2 2

Vandermonde determinant
Homework