MA1014 Page 6 of 8 Lecture 5

Definition 5.4.1. • A square matrix is said to be symmetric if it is equal to its

transpose. That is A = AT .

• A square matrix is said to be skew-symmetric if it is equal to the negative of its

transpose. That is A = −AT .

Theorem 5.4.2. For two matrices A and B and a scalar k,

T
(i). AT =A

(ii). (A + B)T = AT + B T

(iii). (kA)T = kAT

(iv). (AB)T = B T AT

Exercise 4. Prove theorem 5.4.2.

Exercise 5. 1. In the case of a skew-symmetric matrix, show that all the elements in
the main diagonal are zero.

2. Show that any square matrix can be expressed as a sum of a symmetric and a skew-
symmetric matrix.
   
 2 1 −1  2 −1
T
    T T
3. Suppose A = 3 0 1  and B = 0 3 
  
. Verify that (AB) = B A .
   
1 3 −2 1 2

5.5 Determinant of a square matrix

Definition 5.5.1. If A = (aij )n×n then the determinate of A is denoted by |A| and is
defined by
n
X
|A| = aij Aij
j=1

where 1 ≤ j ≤ n, Aij is called the co-factor of aij and Aij = (−1)i+j |Mij | where Mij is
the matrix obtained by deleting ith row and jth column of A, which is called the minor
of aij .
MA1014 Page 7 of 8 Lecture 5

Example 9.

1 −2 0 3
0 4 0 −1
Exercise 6. Evaluate the determinant expanding it using the second
2 0 0 6
−1 7 3 1
row.

5.5.1 Properties of Determinants

(i). If every element of a row or column of a matrix is zero then the value of its deter-
minant is zero.

(ii). If two columns or two rows of a matrix are identical then its determinant is zero.

(iii). If A and B are two square matrices then |AB| = |A||B|.

(iv). The value of the determinant of a matrix remains unchanged if a scalar multiple of
a row or column is added to any other row or column.
Example.

(v). If a square matrix B is obtained from another square matrix A by an interchange

of two columns or rows then |B| = −|A|.
MA1014 Page 8 of 8 Lecture 5

(vi). If every entry in any row or column is multiplied by a scalar, then the whole
determinant is multiplied by that scalar.
Example.

Exercise 7. 1. Prove that

1 a a3
2. Express the determinate 1 b b3 as a product of linear factors in terms of a, b,

1 c c3
and c.
 MA1014 Mathematics (Algebra) Lecturer: Aruna Bandara
Semester 1 (Intake 2023)
Lecture 6

6 Adjoint and Inverse

6.1 Adjoint of a matrix

Suppose A = (aij )n×n is a square matrix. Then the transpose of the matrix A = (Aij )n×n
where Aij = (−1)i+j |Mij | is called the adjoint of the matrix A and is denoted by adj A.

Note. The adjoint is the transpose of the co-factor matrix.

 
1 2 0
 
Example 1. Find adj A if A =  −1 3 4.
 
−2 5 6
Observe that
MA1014 Page 2 of 4 Lecture 6

 
 3 −1 5
 
Exercise 1. Find the adjoint of B if B = 
0 1 2 .
 
−3 −2 4

6.2 Inverse of a matrix

Suppose A and B are square matrices of the same order. If AB = BA = I then B is

called the inverse of A and is denoted by A−1 . That is B = A−1 .

Note. If B is the inverse of A then A is the inverse of B.

Theorem 6.2.1. Suppose A is a square matrix. If |A| =

̸ 0 then

adj A
A−1 = .
|A|

Note. A matrix A is said to be singular if |A| = 0. Otherwise, it is called non-

singular. Non-singular matrices are also called invertible matrices.
 
 1 2 0
 
Exercise 2. 1. Find the inverse of A if A = −1 3 4.

 
−2 5 6

2. If A and B are two non-singular matrices of the same order then show that

(AB)−1 = B −1 A−1 .

3. For a non-singular square matrix A, show that

−1
T
AT = A−1 .

4. Assuming A−1 and B −1 exist, solve (AB)−1 (A + I) = 2B for A.

MA1014 Page 3 of 4 Lecture 6

5. Show that A adj A = adj AA = |A|I.

6.3 Elementary transformations (row and column operations)

on matrices

The following three types of matrix transformations are known as elementary row and
column operations or elementary transformations.

1. Interchange of any columns or rows.

2. Addition to any column or row a multiple of any other column or row.

3. Multiplication of each element of a column or a row by a non-zero constant.

If the matrix B is obtained by applying elementary row or column operations to A

then the matrix A is equivalent to B, which is denoted by A ≈ B.

Theorem 6.3.1. The elementary row operations that reduce a given matrix A to the
identity matrix transform the identity matrix to the inverse of A.
 
2 3 4
 
Example 2. Use the elementary row operations to find the inverse of A = 
4 3 1.

 
1 2 4

     
 2 3 4 1 0 0   1 2 4 0 0 1   1 2 4 0 0 1 
     
 4 3 1 0 1 0  −→  4 3 1 0 1 0  −→  0 −5 −15 0 1 −4 
     
     
1 2 4 0 0 1 2 3 4 1 0 0 0 −1 −4 1 0 −2

   
 1 2 4 0 0 1   1 2 4 0 0 1 
   
−→ 
 0 1 3 0 −1/5 4/5  −→  0 1 3 0 −1/5 4/5
 
 −→

   
0 −1 −4 1 0 −2 0 0 −1 1 −1/5 −6/5