! A matrix is a rectangular block of numbers. The plural of matrix is matrices.
! Systems of linear equations can be represented by matrices.
Consider this system of two linear equations. It is the
coefficients and constants that differentiate this linear system from any other linear system.
If you write the coefficients and constants in a
rectangular block, you can do it in such a way that the first column of numbers contains the coefficients of the x-terms, the second column contains the coefficients of the y-terms, and the third column contains the constants. A rectangular block of numbers such as this one is known as a matrix.
Here is another matrix. It is a 2 x 3 matrix, or a “two
by three matrix,” because it has two rows and three columns.
Here is a 3 x 3 matrix. It has three rows and three
A scalar is a single element, a number or constant, by which a matrix is multiplied.
Scalar multiplication of a matrix is the process of multiplying each element of the matrix with the scalar to create a new matrix of enhanced elements.
You can add and subtract matrices only if they have the same dimension.
Using this 3x1 matrix and multiplying by 5 as
the scalar, you have an example of scalar multiplication. The multiplication is marked for you with the lines. Following these lines, you see that the scalar multiplies individually with each term in the matrix to create the terms for the solution matrix.
This example shows a 3x2 multiplying with 4
to create a new matrix.
The first product is marked for you with the
line and circles. The remaining terms in the solution matrix are each created in the same way as this first term, by multiplying 4 with the existing term.
To successfully multiply two matrices, the number of columns in the left matrix must equal the number of rows in the right matrix.
It is possible that one matrix can multiply with a second matrix, but not be able to multiply if their positions are reversed.
The dimension of a matrix is referred to by the number of rows x the number of columns. The solution matrix will have the same number of rows as the left matrix and the same number of columns as the right matrix.
To multiply matrices they are not required to
have the same dimension.
However, the matrix on the left must have
the same number of columns as the matrix on the right has number of rows; i.e., Left # columns = Right #rows
To multiply a matrix, create each element in
the solution matrix one at a time.
To create the first term in the first row:
1. Combine left’s row 1 with right’s column 1, by multiplying and adding as shown – the first term multiplying with the first term + the second term multiplying with the second term + the third term multiplying with the third term. 2. Write the total, 8, in the position for the first element of the solution matrix.
To create the second term in the first row of
the solution matrix, multiply and add left’s first row with right’s first column in the same manner.
Your total value is 3 and it is placed in the
second position in the first row. Now, in the same manner, complete the first row.
! To successfully multiply matrices, the number of columns in the left matrix must equal the number of rows in the right matrix.
! It is possible that one matrix can multiply with a second matrix, but not be able to multiply if their positions are reversed.
! The dimension of a matrix is referred to by the number of rows x the number of
columns.
! The solution matrix will have the same number of rows as the left matrix and the same number of columns as the right matrix.
To multiply, multiply each term in the row
from the left matrix with its corresponding term in the column from the right matrix. Then add all those products for the new term in the solution matrix.
In this case, use the first row from the left
matrix with the column from the right matrix: 1. 2 multiplies with 1, both in first position. 2. 1 multiplies with 3, both in second position. 3. 0 multiplies with –1, both in third position.
Now add those products: the answer is 5
which is the first term in the column for the solution matrix. Next, multiply these from the second row with the column: 1. 3 with 1 (first position) = 3 2. -1 with 3 (second position) = -3 3. 4 with –1 (third position) = -4 Then, add the products = -4
The total is in the second row of the first
column of the solution matrix. Next, and last in this case, multiply the third row with the column: 1. 1 with 1 (first position) = 1 2. 1 with 3 (second position) = 3 3. 2 with –1 (third position) = -2 Then, add the products =2 This is the third and final term of the solution matrix.
