Math 211: Linear Algebra (Spring 2015)

Section 2.2: Matrix Inverse

Let A be an m r matrix and let B be an r n matrix whose j th column is bj . Then

h i
AB = Ab1 Ab2 Abn

h i
The n n identity matrix is In = e1 e2 en . Furthermore In x = x for all x Rn .
h i
If A = a1 a2 an , then Aei = ai .

For any m n matrix A, the product Im A = A and AIn = A.

Definition: An n n square matrix A is said to be invertible if there exists an n n matrix B such that
AB = BA = In . If B exists, then it is unique and we call it the (multiplicative) inverse of A. We denote the
inverse of A by A1 .
" #
1 2
Unlike real numbers, not all nonzero matrix A has a multiplicative inverse. Take for example A = .
0 0

Some Properties of the Inverse

1. The inverse of A, if it exists, is unique.

2. If A is invertible, then so is its inverse and (A1 )1 = A
3. If A and B are invertible, then their product is also invertible and (AB)1 = B 1 A1
4. If A is invertible, then so is its transpose and (AT )1 = (A1 )T .

Note that if A is an invertible matrix, then for any b Rn , the equation Ax = b has a unique solution given
by x = A1 b. Thus, the linear transformation that it represents must be one-one and onto.

Consider the linear system Ax = b where A Rnn and b Rn . A is invertible if and only if the system has
exactly one solution for any choice of b.

An n n matrix A is invertible if and only if rref(A) has n pivots. That is rref (A) = In .
" #
a b
A 2 2 matrix A = is invertible if and only if its determinant ad bc 6=. In this case
c d
" #
1 d b
A1 = .
ad bc c a

Examples:
" #
2 5
1. Is invertible?
3 7
" #
3 4
2. Find the inverse of B = .
5 6
" #
3
3. Using the inverse of B, find the unique solution to Bx = .
7
4. Find the inverse of AB and the inverse of B T .
5. What is the inverse of a diagonal matrix?
6. What is the inverse of a block diagonal matrix?

1
Elementary Matrices

A type I elementary matrix is a matrix that is obtained from the identity matrix by interchanging two rows
(or columns).
Examples when n = 3:
1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0

0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1

A type II elementary matrix is a matrix that is obtained from the identity matrix by multiplying a row (or a
column) by a nonzero scalar.
Examples when n = 3:
2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
0 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 0

0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.5

A type III elementary matrix is a matrix that is obtained from the identity matrix by replacing a row (or a
column) by a multiple of another row (or column).
Examples when n = 3:
1 4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0

0 0 1 0 2 1 6 0 1

What is the inverse of a type I matrix?

What is the inverse of a type II matrix?

What is the inverse of a type III matrix?

If E is an n n elementary matrix and A is an n n matrix, how are A and EA related?

If E is an n n elementary matrix and A is an n n matrix, how are A and AE related?

If an n n matrix A is invertible, then A is row equivalent to In , that is there are elementary matrices
Ek Ek1 E2 E1 A = In . Thus, the inverse of A is the matrix A1 = Ek Ek1 E2 E1 .

To find the inverse of A, if it exists, row reduce the matrix

[A|In ] [Ek Ek1 E2 E1 A|Ek Ek1 E2 E1 In ] = [In |A1 ]

Examples:

0 1 2
1. A = 1 0 3

4 3 8

1 2 1
2. A = 1 5 6

5 4 5