MATHEMATICS

FORM 4 LESSON 5

MATRICES

Adjoint of a (2×2) Matrix

𝒂 𝒃 𝒅 −𝒃
Rule: If M = ( ) , then the Adjoint of M = ( ).
𝒄 𝒅 −𝒄 𝒂
𝟖 −𝟐 −𝟔 𝟐
Example: If R = ( ) , then R Adjoint = ( ).
𝟏 −𝟔 −𝟏 𝟖

Inverse of a (2×2) Matrix

𝒂 𝒃
Rule: If M = ( ) , then the inverse of M, written as 𝑀 −1 is as follows:
𝒄 𝒅
𝟏
𝑀−1 = × (M Adjoint)
𝑫𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑴

𝟏 𝒅 −𝒃
𝑀−1 = × ( )
(𝒂×𝒅)−(𝒃×𝒄) −𝒄 𝒂

Example:

−1 3
Given that 𝐵 = ( ) , calculate
−4 5

(i) 𝐵−1 (ii) 𝐵−1 𝐵 (iii) 𝐵𝐵−1

Solutions

𝟏
(i) 𝐵 −1 = × ( 𝑩 Adjoint)
𝑫𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑩

𝟏 5 −3
𝐵−1 = × ( )
(−𝟏×𝟓)−(𝟑×−𝟒) 4 −1

𝟏 5 −3
= (−𝟓)−(−𝟏𝟐)
( )
4 −1

5 3
𝟏 5 −3 −
= ( ) or (74 7
1)
𝟕 4 −1 −
7 7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)

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 (ii) 𝐵−1 𝐵 = 𝐵−1 × 𝐵
𝟏 5 −3 −1 3
𝐵−1 𝐵 = ( )( )
𝟕 4 −1 −4 5
𝟏 −5 + 12 15 + −15
= ( )
𝟕 −4 + 4 12 + −5
𝟏 7 0
= ( )
𝟕 0 7
𝟏 𝟎
= ( ) The Identity Matrix
𝟎 𝟏

(iii) 𝐵𝐵 −1 = 𝐵 × 𝐵−1

−1 3 1 5 −3
= ( ) ( )
−4 5 7 4 −1

1 −1 3 5 −3
= ( )( )
7 −4 5 4 −1
𝟏 −5 + 12 3 + −3
= (
𝟕 −20 + 20
)
12 + −5
𝟏 7 0
= ( )
𝟕 0 7
𝟏 𝟎
𝐵𝐵−1 = ( ) The Identity Matrix
𝟎 𝟏

So : 𝑩−𝟏 𝑩 = 𝑩𝑩−𝟏 = (𝟏 𝟎)
𝟎 𝟏

Rule: The product of any matrix and its inverse is commutative and the
result is always the Identity Matrix.

𝟏 𝟎
So: 𝑴−𝟏 𝑴 = 𝑴𝑴−𝟏 = ( ), where 𝑴 is any (2×2) matrix.
𝟎 𝟏

ACTIVITY

−2 −4
1. Given that 𝑬 = ( ),
3 7

(a) Calculate 𝑬−𝟏

1 0
(b) Show that 𝑬𝑬−𝟏 = 𝑬−𝟏 𝑬 = ( )
0 1

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10)

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