Matrix Computations

(16B1NMA533)
Semester: Vth

Department of Mathematics
Jaypee Institute of Information Technology
Noida

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Module No. Topic CO

1 Inverse of a matrix by elementary 1

matrices.

Representation of Matrix in terms of

elementary matrices.

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Points to Understand:
1. A square matrix A has an inverse if and only if it can be transformed into the
identity matrix I by elementary row operations.

2. Each elementary row operation is represented by an elementary matrix Ε

that generates the row operation under the multiplication EA.

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From these points, we have:
3. Matrix A has an inverse if and only if there exist a sequence of elementary matrices
E ,E ,.....,E such that Ek Ek-1 ......E3 E2 E1 A=I
1 2 k
. (1)

Let B= Ek Ek-1 ......E3 E2 E1 (2)

From (1) and (2),
BA=I
Implies B =A-1 (3)
From (2) and (3),

A-1 =Ek Ek-1 ......E3 E2 E1 (4)

Therefore,
“Inverse of a square matrix is the product of those elementary matrices
that reduce A to the identity matrix I”.

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Working Procedure to find inverse:
1. To find inverse of a matrix by using elementary matrix, apply operations
on the given matrix A that move it towards Identity matrix.

2. In addition, for every row operation applied on given matrix A, generate

an elementary matrix E at every step by applying the same operation on I.

3. Restore all the elementary matrices obtained at every step and using
equation (4) above inverse of A can be obtained.

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This section helps to find or represent the original matrix A that has
been reduced to identity matrix I provided the elementary row
operations are known. As discussed, from (1) and (2), we have
BA=I
Implies A=B-1
A=(Ek Ek-1 .....E3 E2 E1 )-1
Therefore, A=E1-1 E2-1 .....Ek-1-1Ek -1 (5)
Hence, a matrix can be represented as the product of various elementary
matrices.
Note: These elementary matrices are obtained after elementary operations on
any matrix A that reduces A to I.

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 1 2 2
 1 4  .
Example 4: (i) Find the inverse of the matrix A using elementary operations, where A  0
0 0 1 

1 2 2
(ii) Express A  0 1 4  as the product of elementary matrices.
0 0 1 

1 0 0
Solution: (i) Step 1: Consider an identity matrix I of the same order as of A, i.e. I  0 1 0 
0 0 1 

Step 2: Apply elementary row operations on the given matrix A that move it towards
Identity matrix.
1 2 2
A  0 1 4 
0 0 1 

1 2 2
R2  R2  4 R3 , A1  0 1 0 
0 0 1 
1 0 2
R1  R1  2 R2 , A2  0 1 0 
0 0 1 
1 0 0
R1  R1  2 R3 , A3  0 1 0 
0 0 1 

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Step 3: For every row operation applied on given matrix A, generate an elementary
matrix E at every step by applying the same operation on I.
1 0 0
I  0 1 0 
0 0 1 

1 0 0
R2  R2  4 R3 , E1  0 1  4 
0 0 1 
1  2 0
R1  R1  2 R2 , E2  0 1 0 
0 0 1 
1 0  2
R1  R1  2 R3 , E3  0 1 0 
0 0 1 

Now, A1  E3 E2 E1
1  2 6
 0 1  4 
0 0 1 

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 1 2 2
A  0 1 4  as the product of elementary matrices.
(ii) Express 
0 0 1 

Solution: Recalling, expressing a matrix as the product of elementary

matrices, we proceed as:
Step 1: Obtain the elementary matrices corresponding to every row operation
that reduces A to identity matrix I. (using step 3 of part (i)).
1 0 0
R2  R2  4 R3 , E1  0 1  4 
 0 0 1 
1  2 0
R1  R1  2 R2 , E2  0 1 0 
 0 0 1 
1 0  2
R1  R1  2 R3 , E3  0 1 0 
 0 0 1 
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 Step 2: Compute the inverse of every elementary matrix obtained in step 1.

1 0 0
E11   0 1 4 
 0 0 1 
1 2 0
E2 1   0 1 0 
 0 0 1 
1 0 2
E3 1   0 1 0 
 0 0 1 

Step 3: The positioning of inverse of elementary matrices in sequential order

obtained in step 2 express A in required form.

A  E11 E2 1 E31

1 0 0  1 2 0  1 0 2
A  0 1 4  0 1 0  0 1 0 
0 0 1  0 0 1  0 0 1 

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 2 3  4 
1. Consider a 3x3 matrix A  3  2 0  .
8 1  4 

(a) Using the concept of elementary matrices, find the inverse of A.

(b) Represent A as product of elementary matrices.

 2 1 3
2. Represent matrix A   4 2 1  as product of elementary matrices.
 6  1 2 

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