Ergün Yaraneri

MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Some Solved Problems

Problem 1. Consider the matrices
   
2 3 −1 0 0 1    
4 −2 −1 −2 0
A= 3 4 1 −1  , B =  2 3  , C = , D=
1 0 2 1 7
1 −2 3 −5 −3 2
     
1 2 3 0 1 1 −1  
E= 3 1 2 , F =  1 0 1 , G =  0 , H = 2 3 0
−1 0 −1 −1 0 1 1

(a) Find the following values:

(F T )13 + (E)31 + (DT )32 , (EA)23 , (F B)21

(b) Determine which of the following matrix expressions are defined, and find their sizes:

AT B, C + D, (G − H T )H, (DE)G, DC, CD + E, D − B T

(c) Compute the following matrices:

(B − DT )C, F G, GH, HG, HE, HF G

(d) Given matrices X, Y, Z, and U, suppose that the following matrix expressions are defined

(AX)D, DT Y, Y B, Z T − A, (B − DT )U T GT .

Find the sizes of X, Y, Z, and U.

(e) Find all possible triple products of D, G and H. That is, find products DGH, DHG, GHD, ... whenever
possible.

Solution: (a):
(F T )13 + (E)31 + (DT )32 = (−1) + (−1) + 7 = 5.
(EA)23 = 4; (F B)21 = −3.
(b):
AT |{z}
|{z} B , C + |{z}
|{z} D , (|{z} H T ) |{z}
G − |{z} H , (|{z}
D |{z}
E ) |{z}
G
4×3 3×2 2×2 2×3 3×1 3×1 1×3 2×3 3×3 3×1
| {z } | {z } | {z } | {z }
4×2 undefined 3×1 2×1
| {z }
3×3

D |{z}
|{z} C , C |{z}
|{z} D + |{z}
E , |{z} BT
D − |{z}
2×3 2×2 2×2 2×3 3×3 2×3 2×3
| {z } | {z } | {z }
undefined 2×3 2×3
| {z }
undefined

(c):      
3 −2 1 −2 −3 0
(B − DT )C =  18 −8  ; F G =  0  ; GH =  0 0 0 
17 6 2 2 3 0
     
HG = −2 ; HE = 11 7 12 ; HF G = 2
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

(d):
(|{z}
A X) |{z}
D =⇒ |{z}
X
3×4 2×3 4×2

DT Y
|{z} and Y |{z}
B =⇒ |{z}
Y
3×2 3×2 2×3

Z T − |{z} Z T =⇒ |{z}
A =⇒ |{z} Z
3×4 3×4 4×3
T T T T
B − |{z}
(|{z} D ) U |{z}
G =⇒ |{z}
U =⇒ |{z}
U
3×2 3×2 1×3 2×1 1×2
| {z }
3×2

(e): There are six triple products DGH, DHG, GDH, GHD, HDG, and HGD. Among these there is only one
product which is defined, namely DGH. And one see that
 
2 3 0
DGH =
10 15 0

Problem 2. The following is a list of statements about square matrices. In each case, either show that the
statement is generally true or find specific matrices for which the statement is not true:

(a) A2 = I =⇒ A = I or A = −I

(b) (A − B)(A − B) = A2 − B 2 ⇐⇒ AB = BA

(c) B = A2 − 5A + I =⇒ AB = BA

(d) AB = 0 =⇒ BA = 0

(e) A2 = A =⇒ (AB − ABA)2 = 0 for all B.

 
0 1
Solution: (a): False. Take for example A = and see that A2 = I2 .
1 0
(b): True. Using distributivity of matrix product over matrix addition we compute that

(A − B)(A + B) = (A − B)A + (A − B)B = [AA − BA] + [AB − BB]

= [A2 − BA] + [AB − B 2 ]
= A2 − B 2 + (AB − BA)

Consequently, (A − B)(A − B) = A2 − B 2 ⇐⇒ AB − BA = 0 ⇐⇒ AB = BA.

3 2
(c): True. Because both of AB and  equal to A − 5A + A.
 BA are
1 0 0 0
(d): False. Take for instance A = and B = We see that AB = 02 and BA = B.
0 0 1 0
(e): True.

(AB − ABA)2 = (AB − ABA)(AB − ABA)

= ABAB − ABABA − ABAAB + ABAABA
= ABAB − ABABA − ABAB + ABABA (we used A2 = A)
= 0
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Problem 3. Find all 4 × 3 matrices X satisfying the following matrix equation:

   
1 0 −1 2 1 0 0
 0 −1 3 −1 X = 0 1
  0 .
1 0 −1 1 0 0 1

How many such matrices X are there?

 
Solution: Let X = ~x1 ~x2 ~x3 where ~xi denotes the columns of the matrix X. Let
   
1 0 −1 2 1 0 0
A =  0 −1 3 −1  and I3 =  0 1 0  .
1 0 −1 1 0 0 1

Then the matrix equation AX = I3 gives

 
  1 0 0
A~x1 A~x2 A~x3 =  0 1 0  .
0 0 1

So, we obtain 3 linear system

           
1 0 −1 2 1 1 0 −1 2 0 1 0 −1 2 0
 0 −1 3 −1 ~x1 = 0 ,
    0 −1 3 −1 ~x2 = 1  ,
   0 −1 3 −1 ~x3 = 0  .
 
1 0 −1 1 0 1 0 −1 1 0 1 0 −1 1 1

This means, for instance, that the second column ~x2 of the matrix X must be the solution of the linear system
   
1 0 −1 2 0
 0 −1 3 −1  ~x2 =  1  .
1 0 −1 1 0

We must solve the above 3 linear systems. As the coefficient matrices of the all 3 systems are the same (which is
the matrix A), we may solve them simultaneously as follows:
 
1 0 −1 2 1 0 0
 0 −1 3 −1 0 1 0  .
1 0 −1 1 0 0 1

The above matrix contains augmented matrices of all 3 systems, for instance
 the first 4 columns and the column
 6
1 0 −1 2 0 0
of the above matrix is the augmented matrix  0 −1 3 −1 1  of the second linear system A~x2 =  1  .
1 0 −1 1 0 0
Hence these 3 systems can be solved simultaneously as follows:
   
1 0 −1 2 1 0 0 1 0 −1 2 1 0 0
 0 −1 (−1)R1 + R3 → R3 
3 −1 0 1 0  0 1 −3 1 0 −1 0 
(−1)R2
1 0 −1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 −1 −1 0 1
 
1 0 −1 2 1 0 0
(−1)R3  0 1 −3 1 0 −1 0 
0 0 0 1 1 0 −1
The first column of X :  
1 0 −1 2 1
The first column of X is the solution of the system whose augmented matrix is  0 1 −3 1 0  so that it is
0 0 0 1 1
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

 
−1 + r
 −1 + 3r 
  , where r is an arbitrary real number.
 r 
1
The second column of X :  
1 0 −1 2 0
The second column of X is the solution of the system whose augmented matrix is  0 1 −3 1 −1  so that
0 0 0 1 0
 
s
 −1 + 3s 
it is   , where s is an arbitrary real number.
 s 
0
The third column of X :  
1 0 −1 2 0
The third column of X is the solution of the system whose augmented matrix is  0 1 −3 1 0  so that it
0 0 0 1 −1
 
2+t
 1 + 3t 
is   , where t is an arbitrary real number.
 t 
−1
Consequently,
 
(−1 + r) s (2 + t)
 (−1 + 3r) (−1 + 3s) (1 + 3t) 
X=  , where r, s, t arbitrary real numbers.
 r s t 
1 0 −1

There are infinitely many such matrices X.

Problem 4. Suppose that A is a 3 × 3 matrix satisfying

   
−1 0 0 0 2 3
 0 2 0  (AT + 2I) =  2 4 0  .
0 0 −3 0 0 3

Find A.

 
−1 0 0
Solution: As the there is no zero entry on its diagonal, the diagonal matrix  0 2 0  is invertible.
0 0 −3
Multiplying by its inverse from left, we easily solve the problem:
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

     −1  
−1 0 0 0 2 3 −1 0 0 0 2 3
 0 2 0  (AT + 2I) =  2 4 0  =⇒ AT + 2I =  0 2 0   2 4 0 
0 0 −3 0 0 3 0 0 −3 0 0 3
  
−1 0 0 0 2 3
=⇒ AT + 2I =  0 12 0  2 4 0 
0 0 − 13 0 0 3
 
0 −2 −3
=⇒ AT + 2I = 1 2 0 
0 0 −1
 
0 −2 −3
=⇒ AT = 1 2 0  − 2I
0 0 −1
   
0 −2 −3 2 0 0
=⇒ AT = 1
 2 0 − 0 2
  0 
0 0 −1 0 0 2
 
−2 −2 −3
=⇒ AT = 1 0 0 
0 0 −3

Consequently,
 T  
−2 −2 −3 −2 1 0
A= 1 0 0  =  −2 0 0 .
0 0 −3 −3 0 −3

Problem 5. Suppose that A is a 2 × 2 matrix satisfying

       
3 1  2 −1  1 3 3 3
A− = .
2 1 1 3 1 2 2 2

Find A.

   
3 1 1 3
Solution: Note that the matrices and are invertible, and their inverse can be calculated easily
2 1 1 2
as follows:
 −1      −1    
3 1 1 1 −1 1 −1 1 3 1 2 −3 −2 3
= = and = = .
2 1 (3 − 2) −2 3 −2 3 1 2 (2 − 3) −1 1 1 −1

Thus,       
3 1 2 −1 1 3 3 3
A− =
2 1 1 3 1 2 2 2
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

   −1   −1
 2 −1 3 1 3 3 1 3
=⇒ A− =
1 3 2 1 2 2 1 2
     
 2 −1 1 −1 3 3 −2 3
=⇒ A− =
1 3 −2 3 2 2 1 −1
| 
{z  }

1 1 
0 0

     
 2 −1  1 1 −2 3 −1 2
=⇒ A− = =
1 3 0 0 1 −1 0 0
     
−1 2 2 −1 1 1
=⇒ A= + = .
0 0 1 3 1 3

 
−1 2
Problem 6. Given M = , express both of M and M −1 as a product of elementary matrices.
3 −4

Solution:1
     
−1 2 1 0 −1 2 1 0 −1 0 −2 −1
ε1 = 3R1 + R2 → R2 ε2 = (−1)R2 + R1 → R1
3 −4 0 1 0 2 3 1 0 2 3 1
     
1 0 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 −1 2 1
ε3 = (−1)R1 ε4 = R2 3 1 . Hence, M = 3 1 .
0 2 3 1 2 0 1 2 2 2 2

As ε4 ε3 ε2 ε1 (M ) = I we have ε4 (I)ε3 (I)ε2 (I)ε1 (I)M = I and so

M −1 = ε4 (I)ε3 (I)ε2 (I)ε1 (I)

as a product of elementary matrices. Consequently, the following is an expression of M −1 as a product of

elementary matrices       
2 1 1 0 −1 0 1 −1 1 0
3 1 =
0 1 0 1 0 1 3 1
| {z } | {z 2 } | {z } | {z } | {z }
2 2
M −1 ε4 (I) ε3 (I) ε2 (I) ε1 (I)

Since M −1 = ε4 (I)ε3 (I)ε2 (I)ε1 (I), taking the inverses of both sides yields

M = ε−1 −1 −1 −1
1 (I)ε2 (I)ε3 (I)ε4 (I)

as a product of elementary matrices. Consequently, the following is an expression of M as a product of elementary

matrices       
−1 2 1 0 1 1 −1 0 1 0
=
3 −4 −3 1 0 1 0 1 0 2
| {z } | {z } | {z } | {z } | {z }
M ε−1
1 (I) ε−1
2 (I) ε−1
3 (I) ε−1
4 (I)


0 1 0
Problem 7. Given A =  1 0 2  , find A−1 , express both of A and A−1 as products of elementary matrices.
0 0 5
1
The solution is not unique as the elementary row operations one applies may differ.
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Solution:    
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0
ε1 : − 52 R3 + R2
→ R2 
 1 0 2 0 1 0  1 0 0 0 1 − 25 
ε2 : 15 R3 1
0 0 5 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 5

0 0 0 1 − 25 2
   
1 0 1 −5
ε3 : R1 ↔ R2  0 1 0 1 0 0  Hence, A−1 =  1 0 0 
1 1
0 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 5

Note that I = ε3 ε2 ε1 (A) = ε3 (I)ε2 (I)ε1 (I)A = E3 E2 E1 A where Ei is the elementary matrix εi (I) for each
i = 1, 2, 3. Consequently,
A−1 = E3 E2 E1 and A = E1−1 E2−1 E3−1 where
     
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
E1 =  0 1 − 25  , E2 =  0 1 0  , E3 =  1 0 0 
0 0 1 0 0 15 0 0 1
     
1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
E1−1 =  0 1 52  , E2−1 =  0 1 0  , E3−1 =  1 0 0 
0 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 1

 
2 −1 0 2
Problem 8. Given the matrix A =  3 1 −1 1 , write A in the form A = P R where P is an invertible
−1 0 1 1
matrix and R is a reduced row-echelon matrix.

Solution: We reduce A to the reduced row-echelon form R as follows:

   
0 −1 2 4 0 0 4 8
ε : 2R3 + R1 → R1  ε4 : 41 R1
A 1 0 1 2 4  ε3 : R2 + R1 → R1  0 1 2 4 
ε2 : 3R3 + R2 → R2 ε5 : (−1)R3
−1 0 1 1 −1 0 1 1

     
0 0 1 2 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 1
ε : −2R1 + R2 → R2
 0 1 2 4  6  0 1 0 0  ε8 : R1 ↔ R3  0 1 0 0  = R.
ε7 : R1 + R3 → R3
1 0 −1 −1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 2

Hence, R = ε8 ε7 ε6 ε5 ε4 ε3 ε2 ε1 (A) = ε8 ε7 ε6 ε5 ε4 ε3 ε2 ε1 (I)A. Consequently,

−1
A = ε8 ε7 ε6 ε5 ε4 ε3 ε2 ε1 (I) R and so

−1
P = (ε8 ε7 ε6 ε5 ε4 ε3 ε2 ε1 (I) = ε−1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1
1 ε2 ε3 ε4 ε5 ε6 ε7 ε8 (I)

Therefore we may (you should) find P by applying the inverses of elementary row operations that are used when
we are finding R to the identity matrix I3 in reverse order.

Problem 9. What must be a and b, if the following matrix is invertible:

 
2 a −5
 1 2 −3  .
3 (2a − 2) b
 Ergün Yaraneri
MAT 261E
yaraneri@itu.edu.tr

Solution: The reduced row echelon form of the matrix must be the identity matrix I3 .
   
2 a −5 0 (a − 4) 1
(−2)R2 + R1 → R1 
 1 2 −3  1 2 −3 
(−3)R2 + R3 → R3
3 (2a − 2) b 0 (2a − 8) (b + 9)
 
0 (a − 4) 1
(−2)R1 + R3 → R3  1 2 −3  .
0 0 (b + 7)
Consequently, a 6= 4 and b 6= −7.