UNIT TWO

MATRIX ALGEBRA AND ITS APPLICATIONS

2.1. Definition of a Matrix

A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers, parameters, or variables each of which has a

carefully ordered place within the matrix. The numbers (parameters or variables) are referred to
as elements of the matrix. The numbers in the horizontal like are called rows; the numbers in a
vertical line are called columns. It is customary to enclose the elements of a matrix in
parentheses, brackets, or braces to signify that they must be considered as a whole and not
individually.

A matrix is often denoted by a single letter in bold face type. The first subscript in a matrix refers
to the row and the second subscript refers to the column.
Matrix X above has m rows and n columns or it is said to be a matrix of order (size) m x n (read
as m by n).

Example:

A= a11 a12 a13

a 21 a22 a 23
a 31 a 32 a33

3x3

Here A is a general matrix composed of 3x3 = 9 elements, arranged in three rows and three
columns. The elements all have double subscripts which give the address or placement of the
element in the matrix; the first subscript identifies the row in which the element appears and the
second identifies the column. For instance, a23 is the element which appears in the second row
and the third column and a32 is the element which appears in the third row and the second
column.

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2.2 Dimensions and Types of Matrices

Dimension of a matrix is defined as the number of rows and columns.

Based on their dimension (order), matrices are classified in to the following types:
A. A row matrix: is a matrix that has only one row and can have many columns.

E .g. A= 2 5 7 is a row matrix of order 1x3.

B. A column matrix: is a matrix with one column and can have many rows.
E.g. B = 1
2
6 is a column matrix of dimensions 3x1.

C. A square matrix: is a matrix with equal number of rows and columns.

1 4 3
E.g. C = 6 ; D= 2 6 2 2 5
3 8 ; E= 8 6 9

D. A diagonal matrix: is a square matrix where its all non- diagonal elements are zero.

E.g. x = 2 0 0
0 6 0 is a diagonal matrix of order 3x3.
0 0 11

E. A scalar matrix: a square matrix is called a scalar matrix if all its non- diagonal elements
are zero and all diagonal elements are equal.
6 0 0
E.g. Y = 2 0 Z= 0 6 0
0 2 0 0 6

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F. A unit matrix (Identity matrix): is a type of diagonal matrix where its main diagonal
elements are equal to one.

1 0 0
E.g. B = 0 1 0
0 0 1

G. A null matrix (zero matrix): a matrix is called a null matrix if all its elements are zero.

0 0 0
E.g. A= 0 0 0
0 0 0

H. A symmetric matrix: a matrix is said to be symmetric if A = At.

E.g. A = 8 2 1
2 3 4
1 4 5

Remark:
It is seen above that every scalar matrix is a diagonal matrix; whereas a diagonal matrix
need not be a scalar matrix. Every unit matrix is a scalar matrix; whereas a scalar matrix
need not be a unit matrix.

2.3 Matrix Operations and Properties

1. Matrix equality: two matrices are said to be equal if and only if they have the same
dimension and corresponding elements of each matrix are equal.
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 3 0 3 -4 3 0
E.g. A= B= C=
1 -4 1 0 1 -4

A ≠ B; A = C; B ≠ C.

2. Transpose of a matrix: If the rows and columns of a matrix are interchanged the new
matrix is known as the transpose of the original matrix. If the original matrix is denoted
'
by A, the transpose is denoted by A or At. Transposition means interchanging the rows
or columns of a given matrix. That is, the rows become columns and the columns become
rows.

E.g 3 5 6 9
B= 0 11 13 8
6 8 3 4

The transpose of matrix B, denoted by B' or Bt is given as:

3 0 6
Bt = 5 11 8

6 13 3
9 8 4
The dimension of B is changed from 3x4 to 4x3.
'
A= 1 3 A = 1 0 2
0 4 3 4 8
2 8 (2x3)
(3x2)

Properties of the transpose

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 The following properties are held for the transpose of a matrix:

 Property 1: (At)t =A
 Property 2: (aA)t = aAt, where (a) is a scalar (at = a)
 Property 3: (A+B)t = At + Bt
 Property 4: (AB)t = BtAt
3. Addison and subtraction of matrices: Two matrices A and B can be added or subtracted
if and only if they have the same order, which is the same number of rows and columns.
That is, the number of columns of matrix A is equal to the number of columns of matrix
B, and the number of rows of matrix A is equal to the number of rows of matrix B. Two
matrices of the same order are said to be conformable for addition and subtraction. The
sum and subtraction of two matrices of the same order is obtained by adding together or
subtracting corresponding elements of the two matrices.
If A= (aij) and B= (bij), then C = A+B is the matrix having a general element of the form; C ij
= aij + bij. D = A-B → Cij = aij - bij .
Example:
A= 2 0 B= 3 6
-5 6 4 1
Then;
2+3 0+6 5 6

A+B = -5+4 6+1 = -1 7

1 5 10 2
If A= 6 7 B=
8 9 8 6
A+B is not defined, since orders of A and B are not the same.

Properties of matrix addition

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 a. Commutative law: A+B = B+A

E.g. A = 2 3 B= 4 3 C= 1 5
1 0 2 1 3 6

2+4 3+3 4+2 3+3 6 6

A+B = =B+A= =
1+2 0+1 2+1 1+0 3 1

b. Associative law: (A + B) + C = A + (B + C)

(A+B)+C = 6 6 1 5 7 11
+ =
3 1 3 6 6 7

A+ (B+C) = 2 3 4 3 1 5
+ +
1 0 2 1 3 6

2 3 5 8 7 11
= + =
1 0 5 7 6 7

c. Existence of identity: A+ 0 = 0 + A = A.

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 Note: The subtraction (difference) of two matrices of the same order is obtained by
subtracting corresponding elements.

Referring to the above matrices given in (a);

2 3 4 3 2-4 3-3 -2 0
A-B= - = =
1 0 2 1 1-2 0-1 -1 -1

4 3 2 3 4-2 3-3 2 0
B-A = - = =
2 1 1 0 2-1 1-0 1 1

A-B ≠ B-A, thus matrix subtraction is not commutative.

-2 0 1 5 -3 -5
(A-B)-C = - =
-1 -1 3 6 -4 -7

2 3 4 3 1 5
A-(B-C) = - -
2 1 3 6
1 0

2 3 3 -2 -1 5
= - =
1 0 -1 -5 2 5

(A-B) –C ≠ A- (B-C) ; matrix subtraction is not associative.

Remark:
 A+B = B+A and (A+B) +C= A+ (B+C) → matrix addition is both commutative and
associative.
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 A-B ≠ B-A and (A-B) - C ≠ A- (B-C) → matrix subtraction is neither commutative nor
associative.

4. Matrix Multiplication
Two matrices A and B can be multiplied together to get AB if the number of columns in A is
equal to the number of rows in B.

A B
n x s
mxn

Inner dimension

Outer dimension

 If two matrices have the same inner dimension, then we can get the product of the
matrices. The resulting matrix will have a dimension equal to the outer dimensions of the
two matrices. There are two types of matrix multiplication: multiplication by a scalar and
multiplication by a matrix.
i. Scalar multiplication: in this type of multiplication, we multiply the scalar by each
element of the given matrix.
3 4 0
E.g. If B = 1 2 5

3 4 1

3 4 0 15 20 0
(5). B = (5) =
1 2 5 5 10 25

3 4 1 15 20 5

ii. Multiplication by a matrix: multiplication by a matrix can be performed if the number

of columns in the first matrix is equal to the number of rows in the second matrix. In this
type of multiplication, we always multiply each row of the first matrix by each column of
the second matrix and sum the resulting outcome.

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 E.g. 1 2 2 1 4
A= 3 4 B=
0 1 (3x2) 3 0 5 (2x3)

Then, A x B = (1x2) + (2x3) (1x1) + (2x0) (1x4) + (2x5)

(3x2) + (4x3) (3x1) + (4x0) (3x4) + (4x5)

(0x2) + (1x3) (0x1) + (1x0) (0x4) + (1x5)

8 1 14
=
15 3 32

3 0 5 (3x3)

Properties of matrix multiplication

Property 1: The distributive law is valid in matrix multiplications.

A (B+C) = AB + AC
(B+C)A = BA + CA

Property 2: The associative law is valid in matrix multiplication.

(AB)C = A(BC) = ABC

Property 3: If I is an identity matrix, then;

AI = IA =A

In general, as long as the order of the matrix is maintained, matrix multiplication is associative,
but matrix multiplication is not commutative except for:
a) The multiplication of a matrix with an identity matrix;

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 i.e. A.I = I. A =A
b) The multiplication of a matrix with its inverse;
i.e., A.A-1 = A-1.A = I

Solved problems
1. Interest at the rates of 0.06, 0.07 and 0.08 is earned on respective investments of $3000,
$2000 and $4000.
a) Express the total amount of interest earned as the product of a row vector by a column
vector.
b) Compute the total interest by matrix multiplication.

Solution:
Given: Let the interest rate matrix be I and investment matrix be B.
a) I = 0.06 0.07 0.08 3000
(1x3) ;
B= 2000

4000 (3x1)

Total interest = (Interest rate matrix) (Investment matrix) = I.B.

3000
I.B = 0.06 0.07 0.08 .
2000

4000

= (0.06x 3000) + (0.07x2000) + (0.08x4000)

Total interest = 640 (1x1)

= $ 640

2. Finfine Furniture Factory (3F) produces three types of executive chairs namely A, B and
C. The following matrix shows the sale of executive chairs in two different cities.

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 Executive chairs
A B C
C1 400 300 200
Cities
C2 300 200 100 (2x3)

If the cost of each chair (A, B and C) is Birr 1000, 2000 and 3000 respectively, and the
selling price is Birr 2500, 3000 and 4000 respectively;
a) Find the total cost of the factory for the total sale made.
b) Find the total profit of the factory.

Solution:

Given: Let the quantity matrix be q

Let the price matrix be p
Let the unit cost matrix be v;

a) 400 300 200 1500 1000

q= p= V=
3000 2000
300 200 100
4000 3000
Total cost = (unit cost) (Quantity)

= 400 300 200 1000

. 2000
300 200 100
300
1,600,000

=
1,000,000

Total cost = Birr 1,600,000 + Birr 1,000,000 = Birr 2,600,000

b) Total profit = Total Revenue - Total Cost

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 Total Revenue = (price) (quantity)

400 300 200 1500

=
3000
300 200 100
4000

2,300,000

=
1,450,000

Total Revenue = Birr 2,300,000 + Birr 1,450,000 = Birr 3,750,000

Profit = Birr 3,750,000 – Birr 2, 600,000

= Birr 1,150,000
Exercise 2-1
1. Find a and b if a+b a-b 7 3
=
1 2 1 2

2. Classify the following matrices:

a) 1 0 b) c) 0 0 0 d) -2
1 -1 3
0 1 0 0 0 3

0 0 0 5

3. A = 1 2 -3 -2

3 4 and B = 1 -5 ; find A + B.

5 6 4 3

0 2 3 7 6 3
4. If A = and B = ; find the value of 2A + 3B.
2 1 4 1 4 3

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5. If A = 8 4 and B = 3 2

3 7 1 5 ;

Find the matrix x such that 2A +4B – 3x = 0.

2 1 0 1 2 -1
6. If A =
1 -1 2 and B = -2 0 1

0 1 3 1 1 2 ;

Find A-B and B-A.

7. Given the matrices:

1 -2
A= 1 3 0
0 3 B=
2 0 -1 ; Determine where possible:
0 4

a) AB
b) BA
c) 2A

8. Verify whether AB = BA for matrices:

A= 2 1 0 1 2 -1
and B =
1 -1 2 -2 0 1

0 1 3 1 1 2

9. Given: 8 1 -2 1 -2 3 4 -3 1

A= -9 9 9 B= 5 6 -4 C= 6 2 -1

6 -3 9 7 -9 8 0 -4 3

Show that; i) A(B+C) = AB + AC ii) (A+B)C = AC + BC.

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10. Given: A = 7 5 4 9 10
13
 B= C= 6
1 3 2 6 5
7
8 6

Show that matrix multiplication is associative; that is (AB)C = A(BC).

11. Find the transpose of the following matrices:

a) A = 2 b) B = 4 6 8 c) C = 6

d) D = 3 5 7 e) X 1 2 3 4

9 1 2 2 3 4 1

6 8 4 3 4 2 1

4 1 1 2

12. If x = 1 -2 3 y= -1 2 -3

-4 0 6 4 0 -6

1 2 3 -1 -2 -3 ; find x + y.

2.3 Inverse of a Matrix

In scalar algebra, the inverse of a number is that number which, when multiplied by the original
number, gives a product of 1. Hence, the inverse of x is simply 1/x; or in slightly different
notation, x-1. In matrix algebra, the inverse of a matrix is that which, when multiplied by the
original matrix, gives an identity matrix. The inverse of a matrix is denoted by the superscript “-
1”. Hence, AA-1 = A-1A = I.

Note that: A matrix must be square to have an inverse, but not all square matrices have an
inverse. The necessary and sufficient condition for a square matrix to possess its inverse is
that /A/ ≠ 0.

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Finding the inverse of a matrix requires the concept of row operations to be performed. The row
operations are the following:
a. Multiply or divide a row by a non- zero constant;

If A = 2 3
6 9 multiply row one (R1) by -2 to get matrix B.

Then, B = -4 -6
6 9

Divide row two (R2) by 3 to get matrix C. Then, matrix

C = 2 3
2 3
b. Add a multiple of one row to another row;
If A = 1 2 multiply R1 by 2 and add to R2 to get matrix x.
3 4

Matrix X = 1 2
5 8

C. Interchanging of rows;
If A = 1 0 Interchange R1 and R2 ( R1 ↔ R2 ) ; to
2 4 get matrix D.

2 4
D= 1 0

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