Term 103, Math002 Muhammad Ali Khan - 1 -

9.8 The Inverse of a Matrix

Multiplicative Inverse of a Matrix
If A and B are nn square matrices and

AB = BA = I
n


Then B is the inverse of A and we write A
1
= B.

NOTE:
1. Only square matrices can have an inverse.
2. Not every square matrix has an inverse.
3. A and A
1
have the same order.
4. If AX = C then X = A
1
C but X = CA
1
.
5. If AC = BC then A = B only if C has an inverse.

Properties of Inverse Matrix

- (A
1
)
1
= A
- (AB)
1
= B
1
A
1

- |A
1
| =
1
| | A
, |A
1
|.|A| = 1
Q1.



Solution. A and B are inverses
=> AB = I
3


=> (AB)
21
= 0
=> (R
2
of A)(C
1
of B) = 0
=> 2(1) + 1(m) + 0( ) = 0
=> m = 2

Also (AB)
33
= 1
=> 1(2) + 0(4) + 2(k ) = 1
=> 2(k ) = 1
=> k =
=> k = 0 Choice (a)
Q2.


Solution.


=> A
1
= 2A
2
6A + 2I
n

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Q3.



Solution.
(a) False because |A
1
| = 1/|A|
(b) True (See Sec 10.3 Properties of Inverse)
(c) True because |A| is a real number
(d) True because AA
1
= I
3
= B
1
B
(e) True because |3A| = 3
3
|A| = 27|A|

Q4.

(a) 23 (b) 27/4 (c) 28 (d) 36 (e) 81/4

Solution. 4 |3.(AB)
1
| |2B
1
|



Singular Matrix
If a matrix does not have an inverse it is called a Singular Matrix.
Otherwise it is called non-singular.

Singular No Inverse
Non-singular There is an Inverse

Determinant and Inverse
A matrix is singular if |A| = 0.
So if |A| = 0 then A does not have an inverse.

For 22 and 33 matrices we can use the determinant to check if the
matrix has an inverse or not.

Q5.

Solution.






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Q6. Find the value(s) of x for which A =
0 3 1
1 0
2 2 4
x
(
(
(
(


(i) Is not invertible.
(ii) Is invertible.

Solution. (From Q5: |A| = 14x + 2)

(i)A not invertible => |A| = 0
=> 14x + 2 = 0
=> x = 1/7

(ii)A invertible => x = 1/7
=> (, 1/7) (1/7, )


Q7.


Solution.
(a) False AC = CA
(b) False AB = BA
(c) True Since C has an inverse so C can be cancelled.
(d) False A.B = O does not mean that A = O or B = O.
(e) False AB = BA



Q8.

(a) 6 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 3 (e) 3

Solution. Singular => det = 0

=> 1 0 2 1 0 2
0 3 1 0 3 1
0 k 2 0 k 2

det = 6 + 0 + 0 0 k 0 = 6 k = 0

=> k = 6 Choices (a)

Finding the Inverse and Checking for Singular Matrix
We can use Row Operations to find the inverse matrix.
Example: To find the inverse of a matrix A of order nn we write
matrix A and I
n
together. E.g. A =
2 1 1
6 4 1
4 2 3
(
(

(
(

has order 33 so we
write I
3
with it.



We perform row operations to convert A to convert it into echelon
form. We perform the same operations on I
3
.

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Now we convert the echelon form into I
3
. We perform the same
operations on the matrix on the RHS.


The matrix on the RHS is A
1
.

We can do the same thing with 44 and bigger square matrices.

Test for Singular Matrix
We want to check if matrix A is singular without finding the
determinant.

If in the above calculation a row of matrix A becomes 0 then it is
singular.

Q9. The matrix M =
1 2 2
2 3 1
3 6 6
(
(

(
(

is

(a) singular (b) non-singular (c) non-square
(d) in echelon form

Solution. (c) and (d) are obviously false
So we have to check the inverse of M.



Q10.


(a) 1 (b) 16 (c) 6 (d) 8 (e) 9

Solution.


A
1
=
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Q11.


Solution: Please do it yourself.



















Solution of Linear Systems
Let
AX = C

If A is invertible then
=> X = A
1
C

This will always give exactly 1 solution and the system will be
Independent.

Shortcut for 22 Matrices
The inverse of the matrix A =
a b
c d
(
(

is
A
1

1 1
| |
d b d b
c a c a A ac bd
( (
= =
( (



Q12.



Solution.

AX = C
X = A
1
C

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Choice (a)

Finding the SOLUTION:
54 45 9
36 27 9
x
y
( ( (
= =
( ( (

=> Solution = (x, y) = (9, 9)

NOTE: So we can use the inverse matrix to find solutions of linear
systems.

Q13.



Solution. C = A
1
B
A
1
=
1 2 1 2 1 2
1 1
4 7 4 7 4 7 | | (7)(1) (4)(2) A
( ( (
= =
( ( (



=
1 2
4 7
(
(

=> Sum = 6 7 + 24 + 20 = 31