MATRICES

A matrix is a rectangular array of numbers in rows and columns enclosed in brackets. The number of
rows and columns determine the order of a matrix which is given by stating the number of rows followed
by the number of columns. A matrix that has m rows and n columns is said to be of the order m × n
matrix.
1 3
�= 2 × 2 matrix
−2 1
2 3 4
�= 2 × 3 matrix
7 8 2
Each number or letter in a matrix is called an element of the matrix. Each element can be located in the
matrix by stating its position in the row and the column e.g 1st row and 2nd column

Matrix names are usually represented by capital letters while elements of a matrix are represented by a
lower-case subscripted letters : Aij stands for real numbers where Aij is the element in the ith row and jth
column.

Types of matrices

1. Row matrix – is a matrix which has only one row.

25 ; 237
2. Column matrix – this is a matrix which has only one column.
6
3
; 5
9
9
3. Square matrix – this is a matrix in which the number of rows is equal to the number of columns.
3 2 1
2 3
; 5 8 4
7 8
0 6 9
4. Diagonal matrix – this is a square matrix that has zeros everywhere except on the main diagonal
- that is the diagonal running from the upper left to the lower right.
3 0 0
2 0 1 0
0 1 0 ; ;
0 3 0 1
0 0 7
5. Identity/unity matrix – this is a square matrix with the leading diagonal elements all equal to one
and all other elements equal to zero i.e. it is a diagonal matrix whose diagonal matrix is equal to
one. If you multiply a matrix by an identity matrix, you will get the same matrix regardless if you
pre-multiply or post-multiply
1 0 0
1 0
; 0 1 0
0 1
0 0 1
6. Zero or null matrix – this is a square matrix where every element is zero.
0 0 0
0 0
; 0 0 0
0 0
0 0 0
 When null matrix is added or subtracted from another matrix that matrix remains unchanged.
Pre or post-multiplying a matrix with a null matrix, results in another matrix.
7. Scalar matrix – is a diagonal matrix whose diagonal elements are equal.
2 0 0
1 0
; 0 2 0
0 1
0 0 2
8. Triangular matrix – a square matrix whose element aij is equal to zero. Elements above or below
main diagonal are zeros. Whenever i<j, it is called a lower triangular matrix, whenever i>j, it is
called an upper triangular matrix.
1 0 0
3 2 0 lower triangular matrix
6 8 3
9 2 4
0 1 3 upper triangular matrix
0 0 5
9. Rectangular matrix – number of rows are not equal to number of columns
2 1 4
7 9 3
10. Sub matrix - A sub matrix of the matrix A is another matrix obtained from A by deleting selected
row(s) and or column(s) of the matrix A
3 6 4
�=
2 7 8
Submatrix of A after deleting the first column
6 4
7 8
11. Equal matrices – two or more matrices are equal if they are of the same order and their
corresponding elements are equal
3 8 3 8
=
5 9 5 9

Operations of matrices

A. Matrix addition and subtraction

If A and B are two matrices of the same order then the addition of A and B is defined to be the matrix
obtained by adding the corresponding elements of A and B.
2 5 4
�=
0 7 2
1 3 8
ℚ=
6 2 5
2 5 4 1 3 8 3 8 12
�+�= + =
0 7 3 6 2 3 6 9 8
2 5 4 1 5 8 1 2 −4
�−�= − =
0 7 3 6 2 5 −6 5 −2
B. Multiplication of two matrices
The main rule is that, for it to be possible to multiply two matrices, the number of columns in the first
matrix should equal to the number of rows in the second

The general method of multiplication is that the elements in row m of the first matrix are multiplied by
the corresponding elements in columns n of the second matrix and the products obtained are then
added giving a single number.

Note:

1. The size of the final matrix AB is 3×4 that is, it has the same number of rows of A and same number of
columns of B.

2. A × B ≠ B × A

3. If AB is possible then it does not necessarily mean BA is possible unless the two matrices A and B are
square matrices.
6 1
�=
2 3
3 0 2
�=
4 5 8
��
6×3+1×4 6×0+1×5 6×2+1×8
2×3+3×4 2×0+3×5 2×2+3×8
22 5 20
=
18 15 28
C. Transposition

The transpose of a matrix m × n is an n × m matrix denoted by A' or AT whose rows are the columns of A
and whose columns are the rows of A. It’s obtained by interchanging the rows and columns of A.

Note:

The transpose of a diagonal matrix is the same diagonal matrix.

If a square matrix and its transpose are equal, that is, if aij = aji for all i and j the matrix is said to be
symmetric about its main diagonal.

A symmetric matrix that reproduces itself when multiplied by itself is said to be idempotent; that is, A is
idempotent if A' = A ; AA = A
1 5 7
�= 2 1 4
0 9 3
1 2 0
�1 = �� = 5 1 9
7 4 3
D. Determinant of a square matrix (2 x 2 matrix)
Is the number obtained from subtracting the product of the elements of the other diagonal from the
product of the elements of the main diagonal

If the determinant is zero, such a matrix has no inverse and is called a singular matrix
3 2
�=
4 5
The determinant of A OR Det A OR � = 3 × 5 − 2 × 4 = 7

E. Inverse of a 2 X 2 matrix

If for an n × n matrix A, there is another n × n matrix B, such that their product is the identity matrix of
product n × n.

An× n × Bn× n = In× n

Then B is said to be inverse or reciprocal of A. A matrix which has an inverse is known as a nonsingular
matrix. A matrix which has no inverse is said to be a singular matrix. The inverse of a 2×2 matrix is
calculated by interchanging the elements in the leading diagonal and multiplying the elements in the
other diagonal by -1, the resultant matrix is then multiplied by the inverse of the original matrix’s
determinant

Procedure;

a) Find the determinant of the matrix

b) Interchange the elements in the main diagonal
c) Reverse the signs of the elements in the other diagonal
d) Divide the matrix obtained by the determinant of the given matrix
� �
In general if � =
� �
Det x or � = �� − ��
1 � −�
�−1 = −� �
�

4 8
e.g find the inverse of � =
3 5
� = 4 × 5 − 8 × 3 = 20 − 24 = 4
1 5 −8
�−1 =
−4 −3 4
−5
4
2
3
4
−1

Applications of matrices

1. Solving simultaneous equations.

Simultaneous equations can be solved using matrices by one of the following methods:
(a) Cramer’s rule method
 �11 �1 + �12 �2 = �1 ……. . i

�21 �1 + �22 �2 = �2 ……. ii

�11 �12 �1 �1
�21 �22 �2 = �2 matrix equation

�11 �12
�21 �22 coefficients matrix

�1
�2 unknowns

�1
constants matrix
�2

�1 �12
�1 �22 −�2 �12 �2 �22
�1 = = �11 �12
�11 �22 −�12 �21
�21 �22

�11 �1
�11 �2 −�21 �1 �21 �2
�2 = �11 �22 −�12 �21
= �11 �12
�21 �22

Note: The denominator is the coefficient matrix; the numerator is the determinant of the
coefficient matrix with the j column replaced by the column of the constant term from the right-
hand side of the equation.

(b) Inverse method

Multiply both sides of the matrix equation by the inverse of the coefficient’s matrix

2. Input output analysis

3. Predict the business future

4. Markov analysis

5. Help engineers design building used in video games and computer animations to make things look
three dimensional