LESSON 2: Basic Operations with Matrices

“Mathematics is not about numbers, equations…it is about UNDERSTANDING” – William Paul Thurston

O.M. “So far we have built a foundation for our knowledge and understanding of the abstract
structure called a matrix. The matrix is such an important concept that it inspired one of the
greatest Sci-Fi movies of all times! (Yeah I know, useless fact!).The matrix is not only powerful
in mathematical thought but also has applications in information technology (more on that later).
In this lesson we will learn how to perform basic operations with matrices: add, subtract, multiply
and even divide, so stay tuned”

2.1: ADDING/SUBTRACTING MATRICES

Before adding two matrices, they must first have the same order. So if for example you
have a 3 × 2 matrix to add to a 3 × 1 matrix, the operation would not be possible. Once the two
matrices have the same order, we simply add corresponding elements and carry those results to the
resulting matrix. Observe the illustration below:
Example 1
1 2 5 6
Let A = ( ) and B = ( ) . Then the resulting matrix will be A + B
3 4 7 8

Matrix A Matrix B Result Matrix: A + B

1 2 5 6
1. ( ) ( ) (1 + 5 )
3 4 7 8
1 2 5 6 6 2+6
2. ( ) ( ) ( )
3 4 7 8
1 2 5 6 6 8
3. ( ) ( ) ( )
3 4 7 8 3+7
1 2 5 6 6 8
4. ( ) ( ) ( )
3 4 7 8 10 4+8
6 8
( )
10 12

Note how corresponding elements(highlighted in red) are added and the result carried to the
corresponding position in the result matrix.
Performing subtraction between two or more matrices, follows the same principles as adding them.
We simply subtract corresponding elements and carry the result to the resulting matrix.
 1 0 1 2
Q5: Let M = ( ) and N = ( ). Calculate the matrix A - B
9 5 3 4

_____________________________________________________

2.2 CALCULATING THE DETERMINANT OF A MATRIX

Think of the determinant as the ‘height’ or ‘weight’ of a matrix, if you will. It is a special number
that tells us something about the matrix. One very important thing it tells us is whether or not the
matrix has an inverse. So how do we calculate a matrix’s determinant?
1 2
Let A = ( ) . Then the determinant of A , denoted as |A| or det (A), is given by
3 4
(1 × 4) – (2 × 3) = 4 – 6 = - 2

In general, the determinant is the result of the difference between the product of the leading
diagonal(top left to bottom right) and the opposite diagonal (top right to bottom left).
Note: The determinant can only be found for a square matrix!

2.3 MULTIPLYING MATRICES

When the male and female members of a species “multiply”, they bring forth another of its kind.
This is true for animals (including humans) and for two matrices. When two matrices “multiply” ,
they form another….MATRIX! However, before two matrices can multiply, they must be
compatible.

Compatibility: Two matrices are compatible if the number of columns in the first matrix = number
of rows in the second. For example, suppose we have two matrices A and B as follows:
2
A=( 4 ) B = (1 2)
−1
A is a 3 × 1 matrix (this means it has 3 rows and 1 column)
B is a 1 × 2 matrix (this means it has 1 row and 2 columns)
So are they compatible? Yes, because the number of columns in A = number of rows in B = 1.

Order of Final Matrix: The final matrix formed by multiplying two matrices will have the number
of rows from the first matrix and the number of columns from the second matrix. In essence, the
‘child’ matrix inherits the ‘genes’ of its parent matrices!
So if we multiply matrix A and B above, the order of the final matrix will be 3 × 2 (3 rows from
matrix A and 2 columns from matrix B)
Multiplying Process: The multiplication process is conducted by doing row-by-column operations
Let us multiply the matrices A and B above.

Example 2
Row-by-column Element(s) Element(s) Final Matrix
operation addressed in A addressed in B.

Row 1 by 2 (1 2) 2×1 0
column 1 (4) (0 0)
−1 0 0
Row 2 by 2 (1 2) 2 0
column 1 (4) (4 × 1 0)
−1 0 0
Row 3 by 2 (1 2) 2 0
column 1 (4) ( 4 0 )
−1 −1 × 1 0
Row 1 by 2 (1 2) 2 2×2
column 2 (4) ( 4 0 )
−1 −1 0
Row 2 by 2 (1 2) 42
column 2 (4) ( 4 4 × 2)
−1 −1 0
Row 3 by 2 (1 2) 2 4
column 2 (4) ( 4 8 )
−1 −1 −1 ×2

2 4
Final Matrix (The “Child”) = ( 4 8 )
−1 −2
 It has 3 rows like its ‘father’ A
 It has 2 columns like its ‘mother’ B

Let us now look at a slightly more complex example:

Example 3:

5 6 1 4 −9
Let R = ( ),S=( ). Then the order of the matrix RS will be 2 × 3
7 8 0 3 5
Thus, RS is given by:

Row-by-column Elements addressed Final Matrix

operation

Row 1 by column 1 5 6 1 4 −9 (5 × 1) + (6 × 0) 0 0
( ) ×( ) ( )
7 8 0 3 5 0 0 0

Row 1 by column 2 5 6 1 4 −9 5 (5 × 4) + (6 × 3) 0
( ) ×( ) ( )
7 8 0 3 5 0 0 0

Row 1 by column 3 5 6 1 4 −9 5 38 (5 × −9) + (6 × 5)

( ) ×( ) ( )
7 8 0 3 5 0 0 0

Row 2 by column 1 5 6 1 4 −9 5 38 − 15
( ) ×( ) ( )
7 8 0 3 5 (7 × 1) + (8 × 0) 0 0

Row 2 by column 2 5 6 1 4 −9 5 38 − 15
( ) ×( ) ( )
7 8 0 3 5 7 (7 × 4) + (8 × 3) 0

Row 2 by column 3 5 6 1 4 −9 5 38 − 15
( ) ×( ) (
7 8 0 3 5 7 52 (7 × −9) + (8 × 5))

5 38 − 15
Final matrix (“The Child”) = ( )
7 52 − 23
Note: In the first row-by-column operation, the ‘5’ multiplies to the ‘1’ because they are the first
items of their respective row and column (See the blue arrow indicators).
The ‘6’ multiplies to the ‘0’ because they are the second items of their respective row and column
(see the white arrow indicator). The results of these multiplications are then added , i.e. (5 × 1) +
(6 × 0) = 5 + 0 = 5.
This principle follows throughout the entire calculation of RS.

2.4 SCALAR MULTIPLICATION

Sometimes, we multiply the elements in a matrix by a number. That number is called a scalar
(having only magnitude) and the process is called scalar multiplication. Here are a few
examples of this process:

Example 4:

4 6
Let A = ( 3 1 ) . Determine the matrix 2A
0 −1

Solution

4 6 2×4 2×6
2A = 2 × ( 3 1 ) = ( 2 × 3 2 × 1 ) //Multiply all numbers in matrix A by 2.//
0 −1 2 × 0 2 × (−1)

𝟖 𝟏𝟐
= (𝟔 𝟐)
𝟎 −𝟐
Example 5:

1 3 4 5
Calculate 3 M, given that M = ( )
1 6 0
Solution:
1 1 1
1 1 3 4 5 ×3 ×4 ×5
M =3 × ( ) = (3 1 3
1 1
3
) // Multiply all numbers in matrix M
3 1 6 0 ×1 ×6 × 0
3 3 3
1
by 3.

𝟒 𝟓
𝟏
𝟑 𝟑
= (𝟏 )
𝟐 𝟎
𝟑
2.5 HOW DIVISION IS DONE WITH MATRICES
1
The operation 6 ÷ 2 can be interpreted as 6 × . Both calculations will yield the same result of
2

3.
1
is the multiplicative inverse of 2 and so to divide two numbers, we multiply one by the
2
multiplicative inverse of the other. This is the concept we borrow from arithmetic to handle
division with matrices. Therefore, to perform division between two matrices, we find the inverse
of one and then multiply that by the other matrix. But we need to know how to find the inverse of
a matrix and so that is coming up in the next lesson.

TAKE-AWAYS
 Adding/Subtracting matrices is done by adding/subtracting corresponding elements of
two or more matrices of the same order.
 Two matrices are compatible for multiplication if and only if the no. of columns in the
first matrix = the no. of rows in the second matrix
 If A is an m × n matrix and B is an n × p matrix, then the “child” matrix AB will have an
order m × p i.e. it will have m rows (like its ‘father’) and p columns (like its ‘mother’)
 To perform division between two matrices, first find the inverse of one and then multiply
it by the other matrix.