MATRICES

BASIC CONCEPTS AND IMPORTANT

Matrix - A rectangular arrangement of mn elements in the form of an
ordered set of m rows, each row consisting of an ordered set of n
elements is called a matrix of order m x n (mxn is read as m by n)
If A is a matrix of order m x n, then it is usually written in the following

A=

A = [𝑎𝑖𝑗]𝑚𝑥𝑛 ,1 ≤ i ≤ m,1 ≤ j ≤ n
Comparable matrices ::
The matrices are said to be comparable (or compatible) iff each
one of them contains as many row and columns as the other.

Equal matrices::
Two matrices A= [𝑎𝑖𝑗]𝑚𝑥𝑛 and B = [𝑏𝑖𝑗]𝑚𝑥𝑛 are said to be
equal (written as A= B) iff
(i) they are of the same order, and
(ii) 𝑎𝑖𝑗= 𝑏𝑖𝑗 for all i and j
Type of matrices::
(i)Row Matrix - A matrix having only one row is called row matrix

(ii) Column matrix -A matrix having only one column is called column
matrix.

(iii) Null or zero matrix or void Matrix – An m x n matrix is called a zero

matrix whose each elements is zero is called a zero matrix and dented
by O.
(iv) Square Matrix - A Matrix in which the number of row equals the number of column say n, is
called a square matrix of order n.Thus A = [𝑎𝑖𝑗]𝑚 𝑥 𝑛 Is a square matrix if m = n.
The elements 𝑎𝑖𝑗 of a square matrix a for which i= j i.e. 𝑎11 , 𝑎22, ….𝑎𝑛𝑛 are called diagonal
elements and the line joining these elements is called the principal diagonal or leading diagonal
of matrix A

(v) Diagonal matrix: A square matrix A = [𝑎𝑖𝑗]𝑚 𝑥 𝑛 is called a diagonal matrix iff all its non
diagonal elements are zero . The diagonal elements may or may not be zero . Thus a square
matrix A is a diagonal matrix if 𝑎𝑖𝑗 = 0 when i ≠ j

(vi) Scalar matrix -A diagonal matrix in which all diagonal elements are equal is called a scalar
matrix ,

(vii) Identity matrix - A scalar matrix in which each diagonal element is unity is called identity
matrix or unit matrix. It is denoted by I
 Operations on matrices
Addition of matrices:
If A and B are two matrices of the same order then their sum A+B is the matrix
obtained by adding the corresponding elements of A and B

Subtraction of matrices:
If A and B are two matrices of the same order then their difference A-B is the matrix
obtained by subtracting the corresponding elements of A and B

Properties of matrix addition: If A, B and C are matrices of same order, then

(i) A + B = B + A (Commutative law)
(ii) (A + B) + C = A + (B + C) (Associative law)
(iii) For any matrix A there exists a zero matrix O of the same order such that A + O = O + A = A
where O in called the additive identity of the matrices.
(iv) For any matrix A there exists matrix -A such that A+ (-A) = 0 = (-A)+ A where (-A) is additive
inverse of the matrix A
(v) A+B=A+C then B=C (left cancellation law )
(vi) B+A =C+A then B=C (Right Cancellation laws)
Multiplication of a matrix by a scalar (number)
If k is any scalar (number) and A is any matrix then the matrix which is obtained by
multiplying every element of A by k is called the scalar multiplication of A by k and it is denoted
by kA

Properties of scalar multiplication :

If A & B are matrices of the same order and 𝜆 , 𝜇 are any two scalars, then

(i) (𝜆 + 𝜇 ) A = 𝜆𝐴 + 𝜇 A

(ii) 𝜆(A + B) = 𝜆 A + 𝜆 B

(iii) 𝜆(𝜇 A) =(𝜆𝜇)A = 𝜇 (𝜆) A

(iv) (- 𝜆𝐴) = - (𝜆𝐴 ) = 𝜆 (-A)

Multiplication of matrices::
The matrices A and B are conformable for the product AB if the number of columns
in A is same as the number of rows in B. Thus, if A = [𝑎𝑖𝑗]𝑚 𝑥 𝑛 B = [𝑏𝑖𝑗]𝑛 𝑥 𝑝 are two matrices
of order m x n and n x p respectively, then their product AB is of order m x p
Properties of matrix multiplication ::
If A. B and C are three suitable matrices and λ is any scalar, then
(i) AB ≠ BA (not commutative)

(ii) (AB)C = A(BC)(Associative law)

(iii) IA=A=AI, where I is identity matrix f

(iv) A(B+C)= AB+ AC

(v) If AB = AC then ⇏ B = C (Cancellation law is not applicable)

(vi) 𝜆AB = (𝜆𝐴 ) B = A (𝜆𝐵)

(vii) If AB= 0, then it does not mean that A = O or B = 0, again product of two non zero matrices
may be a zero matrix.

(viii) If A and B are two matrices such that AB exists, then BA may or may not
 Positive integral powers of a matrix.
The positive integral powers of a matrix A are defined only when A is a square matrix. Also them
𝐴2 = AA , 𝐴3 = AAA = 𝐴2 A. Also for any positive integers m, n
(i) 𝐴𝑚 𝐴𝑛 = 𝐴𝑚+𝑛
(ii) (𝐴𝑚 )^n = 𝐴𝑚𝑛 = (𝐴𝑛 )^m
(iii) 𝐼 𝑛 = 𝐼
 Matrix polynomial
If f(x) = 𝑥 2 - 3x + 2 is a polynimial and A is a square matrix then
F(A) = 𝐴2 - 3A + 2I is a matrix polynomial , where I is the identity matrix
Of same order as that of A
Transpose of a matrix
Let A be a m x n matrix then transpose of A denoted by A’ or 𝐴𝑡 is the matrix obtained by
interchanging its row and column . A’ is an n x m matrix

Properties of transpose
Let A and B be tum suitable matrices, then
(i) (A’)’ = A

(ii) (A±𝐵)’ = A’ ± B

(iii) (kA’) = kA’

(iv) (AB)’ = B’A’

(v) (ABC)’ = C’B’A’

 Symmetric and skew-symmetric matrices
(i) Symmetric matrix ; A square matrix A is called symmetric matrix if A’ = A

(ii) Skew-symmetric matrices : A square matrix A is called skew-symmetric matrix if A’ = -A

Important
(i) Every element in the principal diagonal of a skew symmetric matrix is always zero

(ii) If A is square matrix then A + A’ is symmetric and A- A’ is skew symmetric matrix

(iii) Every matrix a can be uniquely expressed as the sum of symmetric and skew symmetric
matrix i.e. A = ½ (A + A’) + ½ (A - A’)
 Invertible matrices
Let A be a square matrix of onder n. then A is called invertible (or inversible) iff there exists a
square matrix B of order n such that AB=I =BA, where I being unity matrix of order n In such a
case, we say that the inverse of matrix A is B and we write 𝐴−1 = 𝐵.

If a square matrix has an inverse, then it is unique.