Chapter- Matrices Important Definitions and Results
Compiled by Dr. R. Jayasankar
1. Types of Matrices
2. Matrix is a rectangular array of numbers and variables arranged in a specific order.
3. Dimemsion of matrix = number of rows × number of columns ( m×n )
4. Row Matrix :- It is a matrix with only one row and any number of columns (1×n )
5. Column Matrix :- It is a matrix with only one column and any number of rows ( m×1)
6. Null Matrix :- It is matrix with each of whose elements are zero
7. Square Matrix :- It is matrix having same number of rows and columns
8. Diagonal Matrix :- It is square matrix in which all its non-diagonal elements are Zero
9. Scalar Matrix :- It is square matrix in which all its non-diagonal elements are Zero and
diagonal elements are same
10. Unit Matrix :- It is square matrix in which all its non-diagonal elements are Zero and
diagonal elements are 1 . Genrally it is denoted by I
11. Note : Unit Matrix Scalar Matrix Diagonal Matrix
12. Comparable Matrices :- Two matrices A and B are said to be comparable if they have
the same order
13. Eqivalent Matrices :- Two matrices A and B are said to be equivalent if they have the
same order
14. Equal Matrices :- Two matrices A and B are said to be equal if they are comparable
and their corresponding elements are equal.
15. Singular Matrix :- A square matrix is said to be singular if A =0
16. Non Singular Matrix :- A square matrix is said to be non-singular if A 0
17. Results based on fundamental operation of matrices
18. ( A+B) = ( B+A ) ( addition is Commutative )
19. ( AB) ( BA ) ( multiplication is not Commutative )
20. ( AB) C=A ( BC ) ( Associative property )
21. A. ( B+C ) =AB+AC ( Left distributive property )
22. ( A+B) C=AC+BC ( Right distributive property )
( A+B) A 2 +B2 +2AB
2
23.
( A-B ) A 2 +B2 -2AB
2
24.
25. A 2 -B2 ( A+B )( A-B )
( A+B)
2
26. =A 2 +B2 +2AB is true only when AB=BA
27. A m .A n =A m+n
28. (A m ) n =(A) m n
29. A I = I A=A
30. AB =BA is true when A and B are diagonal matrices of same order
31. Transpose of a Matrix:- A matrix A obtained by changing all its rows in to
columns is called transpose and it is deneoted by A ' or A t
32. Important results based on Transpose of a matrix
33. ( A ) =A
t t
( A+B)
t
34. =A t +Bt
( A-B)
t
35. =A t -Bt
( AB)
t
36. =Bt A t (Reversal law of transpose)
( ABC )
t
37. =Ct Bt A t
( kA )
t
38. =kA t
39. (A ) = (A )
2 t t 2
40. (A ) = (A )
n t t n
nN
( adjA ) =adj ( A t )
t
41.
42. (A ) = (A )
−1 t t −1
43. At = A
44. Important results based on Symmetric and Skew-symmetric matrices
45. Symmetric Matrix : A square matrix A is said to by symmetric if At =A
46. Skew Symmetric Matrix : A square matrix A is said to by skew symmetric if A t = -A
47. Properties of symmetric and skew symmetric matrices are as follows
48. Main diagonal elements of a skew-symmetric matrix are zero.
49. Every square matrix can be expressed as a sum of symmetric and skew
symmmetric matrices. That is A=
1
2
( A+A t ) + ( A-A t )
1
2
50. All positive Integral powers of a symmetric matrix is a symmtric matrix.
51. All odd positive Integral powers of a skew-symmetric matrix is a skew symmtric matrix.
52. A+A t is always symmetric
53. A-A t is always skew-symmetric
54. AA t and A t A are always symmetric
55. A 2 n for n N is always symmetric
56. A 2 n+1 for n N is always skew-symmetric
57. kA for k R is always symmetric
58. Transpose of a symmetric matrix is a symmetric matrix
59. Inverse of a symmetric matrix is a symmetric matrix
60. If A and B are symmetric matrices then (A+B) is symmetric
61. If A and B are symmetric matrices then (A-B) is symmetric
62. If A and B are symmetric matrices then (AB+BA) is symmetric
63. If A and B are symmetric matrices then (AB-BA) is skew-symmetric
64. AB is symmetric if AB=BA
65. If A and B are skew-symmetric matrices then (A+B) is a skew-symmetric
66. If A and B are skew-symmetric matrices then (AB+BA) is a skew-symmetric
67. If A and B are skew-symmetric matrices then (AB+BA) is symmetric
68. Null matrix is both symmetric and skew-symmetric .
69. Important Results based on Adjoint of a matrix
70. adj ( A+B ) adj ( A ) +adj ( B )
71. adj ( A-B ) adj ( A ) -adj ( B )
72. adj ( AB ) = adj ( B ) adj ( A )
73. adj ( ABC ) = adj ( C ) adj ( B ) adj ( A )
74. adj ( kA ) = k adj ( A ) adj ( kA ) = k n-1 ( adjA )
adj ( A t ) = ( adjA )
t
75.
adj ( A 2 ) = ( adjA )
2
76.
adj ( A n ) = ( adjA )
n
77.
adj ( A −1 ) = ( adjA )
−1
78.
adj(adj ( A ) ) = A
n− 2
79. A
80. A adj ( A ) = A I
81. adj ( I n ) = I n
82. Adjoint of a diagonal matrix is a diagonal matrix
83. The adjoint of a triangular matrix is also a triangular matrix
84. The adjoint of a singular matrix is also a singular matrix
85. The adjoint symmetric matrix is also a symmetric matrix
86. If A is a singular matrix, then det (AdjA)=0.
87. Important results based on Inverse of a matrix
88. (A )
−1 −1
=A
( A+B)
−1
89. A −1 +B−1
( A-B)
−1
90. A −1 -B−1
( AB)
−1
91. =B−1A −1
( ABC )
−1
92. =C−1B−1A −1
( kA )
−1
93. =kA −1
94. (A ) = (A )
2 −1 −1 2
95. (A ) = (A )
n −1 −1 n
nN
( adjA ) =adj ( A −1 )
−1
96.
97. (A ) = (A )
−1 t t −1
−1
98. A −1 = A
99. A A -1 = A -1A=I
100. A -1
=
(A ) c
t
101. The inverse of a diagonal matrix is a diagonal matrix
102. Inverse of a triangular matrix is a triangular matrix
103. Inverse of a scalar matrix is also a scalar matrix
104. Inverse of symmetric matrix is also a symmetric matrix
105. The inverse of a matrix is always unique.
106. Solving simultaneous equations
107. If A 0 then the system is consistant and has a unique solution, given by X=A −1B
108. if A = 0 ( adj A) B 0, then the system is inconsistant (No solution )
109. if A = 0 ( adj A) B = 0, then the system is consistant and has infinitely
many solutions.
110. Important results and formula for Competitive examinations
111. Conjugate of matrix A is obtained by replacing all the complex numbers into its conjugates
and it is denoted by A
θ
112. Transpose of a conjugate matrix is denoted as A
θ
113. A square matrix is said to be Hermitian matrix if A = A
θ
114. Square matrix A is said to be Skew-Hermitian if A = - A
115. Minimum number of zeros in a diagonal matrix is n 2 - n
n2 - n
116. Minimum number of zeros in a triangular matrix is
2
a 0 0 a n 0 0 a -1 0 0
117. If A= 0 b 0 then A n = 0 b n
0 , A -1 = 0 b -1
0 and A =abc
0 0 c 0 0 c n 0 0 c-1
118. The determinant value of a Nilpotent matrix is always zero.
119. Characteristic equations and characteristic roots (eigen values) of a square matrix A is
given by A- I = 0
120. The roots of the characteristic equation are called characteristic roots or eigen values of the
matrix A.
121. The sum of the eigen values of a square matrix A is the sum of the diagonal elements of A.
122. The product of the eigen values of square matrix A is given by (-1) n A
123. The constant term of the characteristic equations of a matrix A is A
124. One of the Eigen values of the matrix A will be zero if and only if A is singular.
125. The eigen values of matrix A and A’ are the same.
126. The eigen values of a diagonal matrix are its diagonal elements.
127. The eigen values of the triangular matrix are its diagonal elements.
128. Inverse of a 3x3, shortcut. 1) write the matrix, 2) Rewrite the first two columns 3) rewrite
the first two rows 4) leave the first row and first columns and perform the cross
multiplication. 5) obtained matrix is called adjoint 6) get inverse from adjoint.
129. Upper triangular Matrix :- A square matrix A = aij( ) mn
is an upper triangular
matrix if a ij = 0 for i>j
130. Lower triangular Matrix :- A square matrix A = aij( ) mn
is an lower triangular
matrix if a ij = 0 for i<j
131. A diagonal matrix is both upper and lower triangular matrices
132. Involutary Matrix :- A square matrix is said to be involutary if A 2 = I
133. Idempotent Matrix :- A square matrix is said to be idempotent if A 2 = A
134. Orthogonal Matrix :- A matrix is said to be Orthogonal if AAt = I
135. A square matrix A is said to be a Nilpotent matrix of index p if Ap =0 where p is the least
positive integer and p is called index.
136. A square matrix A is said to be periodic matrix if A k+1 = A for some least positive integer
value k and here k is called period of the matrix A.
137. Time saving results (Shortcut tricks may be used to solve MCQ)
1 0 1 0
138. If A = then A n = where n N
0 1 0 1
1 1 1 1
139. If A = then A n = 2n=1 where n N
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 n
140. If A = then A n = where n N
0 1 0 1
1 0 1 0
141. If A = then A n = where n N
1 1 n 1
1 k 1 nk
142. If A = then A n = where n N
0 1 0 1
a 0 0 a n 0 0
143. If A = 0 b 0 then A n = 0 b n
0 where n N
0 0 c 0 0 c n
a 0 0 a −1 0 0
144. If A = 0 b 0 then A −1 = 0 b −1
0
0 0 c 0 0 c −1
a 0 0
145. If A = 0 b 0 then A = abc
0 0 c
a 0 0 a 0 0
146. If A = 0 b 0 then A = 0 b 0
t
0 0 c 0 0 c
a 0 0 d 0 0 ad 0 0
147. If A = 0 b 0 then B = 0 e 0 then AB= 0 be 0
0 0 c 0 0 f 0 0 cf
a a12
148. If A = 11 then A - (a11 +a 22 ) A+ ΔI=0
2
21
a a 22
a11 a12 a13
149. If A = a 21 a 22 a 23 then A 3 - (a11 +a 22 +a 33 ) A 2 + (A11 +A 22 +A 33 )A - ΔI=0
a 31 a 32 a 33
1 0 1 0
If A = then A n = where n N
0 1 0 1
1 1 1 1
If A = then A n = 2n =1 where n N
1 1 1 1
1 1 1 n
If A = then A n = where n N
0 1 0 1
1 0 1 0
If A = then A n = where n N
1 1 n 1
1 k 1 nk
If A = n
= 0 1 where n N
1
then A
0
a 0 0 a n 0 0
If A = 0 b 0 then A n = 0 b n
0 where n N
0 0 c 0 0 c n
a 0 0 a −1 0 0
If A = 0 b 0 then A −1 = 0 b −1
0
0 0 c 0 0 c −1
a 0 0
If A = 0 b 0 then A = abc
150.
0 0 c
a a12
If A = 11 then A 2 - (a11 +a 22 ) A+ ΔI=0
a 21 a 22
a11 a12 a13
If A = a 21 a 22 a 23 then A 3 - (a11 +a 22 +a 33 ) A 2 + (A11 +A 22 +A 33 )A - ΔI=0
a 31 a 32 a 33