Inverse Matrix

 If is a square matrix, and if we can find a matrix such that we call " the inverse of
"

o is said to be "invertible" ( )

o is the notation used for an inverse

NOTE: The inverse is NOT the reciprocal

o The defining property for an inverse:

Implies both and are square matrices

 If matrix , does not have an inverse , then is said to be "singular"

 A matrix has an inverse if and only if

 is unique for any matrix

o You cannot get two different inverses for the same matrix

o PROOF: Assuming has two distinct inverses and , implies that the two products are valid:

And

Consider the product

We can group the terms in two different ways

Implies that

Therefore only one inverse exists

Determining the Inverse of a Matrix

 The inverse can be determined several ways

 Applying the theorem that row operations that create a reduced row echelon matrix are equivalent to the product

of elementary matrices which is also equivalent to the inverse if the identity is produced
[ Read More ]

o Create an augmented matrix

o Using elementary row operations take to reduced row echelon form (while performing the same
operations on )

 If the reduced row echelon form of is then exists and the right square matrix of

the agumented matrix is

 If he reduced row echelon form of is not , then is not invertible

o EXAMPLE: Given the matrix determine the inverse

 Therefore

 Another method to determining the inverse is through the use of determinants

o The inverse

 The determinant of the inverse