Inverse matrices

Lê Xuân Trường

Lê Xuân Trường Inverse matrices 1/7

Definition

Let A be a square matrix of order n. We say that A is invertible if

there exists a square matrix B such that

AB = BA = In .

B is called to be the inverse of A which is denoted by A−1 .

   
1 2 −2 1
Example: Let A = and B = 3 . We have
3 4 2 − 12

AB = I2

so A is invertible and A−1 = B

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Remarks

If A is invertible then we also say that A is nonsingular.

If A is nonsingular then its inverse matrix is unique.
If A is nonsingular, then so is A−1 and (A−1 )−1 = A.
If A and B are nonsingular matrices, then AB is nonsingular and

(AB )−1 = B −1 .A−1

If A is nonsingular then

(AT )−1 = (A−1 )T

(kA)−1 = k −1 A−1 , for any k 6= 0.

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Theorem

Let A be a square matrix of order n

A is nonsingular ⇐⇒ det(A) 6= 0
 
1 2
Example: The matrix A = is nonsingular because we have
3 4

det(A) = −2 6= 0.
 
2 −1 3
Example: The matrix C = 1 m −2 is singular if we have
3 −1 4

det(C ) = 3 − m = 0 ⇐⇒ m = 3.

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Find inverse of a matrix by using elementary row operations

elementary row
[ A In ] −−−−−−−−→ [ In B ] =⇒ A−1 = B
operations
 
1 −3
Example: Find the inverse matrix of A =
4 5
   
1 −3 1 0 1 −3 1 0
→
4 5 0 1 0 17 −4 1
5 3
 
1 0 17 17
→ −4 1
0 1 17 17

5 3
 
Hence A−1 = 17
−4
17
1 .
17 17  
0 −1 1
Example: Find the inverse of B =  1 0 −1 
−1 1 0

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Inverse matrix using determinants

Let A be a square matrix of order n. If A is nonsingular then

 T
C11 C12 · · · C1n
A−1
1 C21 C22 · · · C2n 

=
det(A) · · · · · · · · · · · · 

Cn1 Cn2 · · · Cnn
| {z }
PA

where Cij is (i, j) - cofactor.

The matrix PA is called to be adjoint matrix of A
 
2 −1 3
Example: Find the inverse of A = 1 −3 2 using adjoint matrix.
3 −2 1

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Solving matrix equations using inverse matrices

If A is a nonsingular matrix the the matrix equation AX = B has a unique

solution given by
X = A−1 B .

Example: Given the following matrices

   
2 1 3 −1
A =  −1 m 1 , B= 0 
2 −3 2 1


and C = 0 1 0 .
a) Find m such that A is singular.
b) For m = 0, find the matrices X , Y such that AX = B and YA = C .

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