Mr G’s School of Education MATRICES

SECTION 1: DEFINITION:

A matrix is an arrangement of elements in rows and columns enclosed by a pair of curved (sometimes

square) brackets.

𝑎 𝑏 𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 𝑎
E.g. , , 𝑎 𝑏 , Where a, b, c, d, e and f, are constants/numbers.
𝑐 𝑑 𝑑 𝑒 𝑓 𝑏

 Row- a row runs from left to right.

 Column- a column runs from top to bottom.

ORDER OF A MATRIX:

The order of a matrix is the number of rows multiplied by the number of columns of the matrix, that is,

(row x column).

C C

E.g. R a b

R c d

(R x C) = (2 x 2 matrix)

2 4 6
E.g. 1 = (R x C) = (2 x 3 matrix)
8 10 12

1 2 3
E.g. 2 4 5 6 = (R x C) = (3 x 3 matrix)
7 8 9

TYPES OF MATRICES:

 Row Matrix- A row matrix is a matrix having only one row. E.g. ( 2 4), ( 3 6 9 )…

5
4
 Column Matrix- A column matrix is a matrix having only one column. E.g. , 10 …
8
15
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0 0
 Null Matrix- A null matrix is a matrix with all its elements being zero. E.g. …
0 0

 Square Matrix- A square matrix is a matrix where the number of rows equal the number of

columns. E.g. A (2 x 2 Matrix), a (3 x 3 Matrix)…

 Diagonal Matrix- this is a square matrix where all the elements are zero, except the elements in

1 0 0
2 0
the diagonal. Diagonal runs from upper left to lower right. E.g. , 0 3 0
0 8
0 0 12

 Identity Matrix/ Unit Matrix- this is a diagonal matrix in which all the elements in the diagonal

1 0
is equal to one. An identity/unit matrix is usually denoted/represented as “I” E.g. ,
0 1
1 0 0
0 1 0 …
0 0 1

ADDITION OF MATRICES
MONDAY JOHN JANE

DOUBLES 3 2

ALOO PIE 4 3

WEDNESDAY JOHN JANE

DOUBLES 2 3

ALOO PIE 1 1

At the end of the week, how many doubles and aloo pies did they both buy?

3 2 2 3
1) If M= and W = . Find M + W.
4 3 1 1

3+2 2+3 5 5
M+W = =
4+1 3+1 5 4

Jane = 5 Doubles and 4 Pies

John= 5 Doubles and 5 Pies

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ADDITION OF MATRICES

5 12 9 6
1) If A= and B= . Find A + B.
4 3 7 8

5+9 12 + 6 14 18
A+B = =
4+7 3+8 11 11

17 21 9 6
2) If X= and Y= . Find X + Y.
3 9 18 15

17 + 9 21 + 6 26 27
X+Y= =
3 + 18 9 + 15 21 24

SUBTRACTION OF MATRICES
17 −21 9 −6
1) If V= and G = . Find V – G.
3 9 −8 15
17 − 9 −21 − (−6) 8 −15
V-G = =
3 − (−8) 9 − 15 11 −6
−13 14 −3 6
2) If A= and B = . Find A – B.
18 −6 −21 −14

−13 − (−3) 14 − 6 −10 8

A-B= =
18 − (−21) −6 − (−14) 39 8

MULTIPLICATION BY A SCALAR QUANTITY

 A scalar quantity is any positive or negative number. E.g.

4 5
1) If A= , find 2A.
3 9
4x2 5x2 8 10
2A= =
3x2 9x2 6 18

9 −4
2) If B = , find -3B.
3 5
9x−3 −4 x − 3 −27 12
-3B= =
3x−3 5x−3 −9 −15
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MULTIPLICATION OF 2 MATRICES

Consider the table of examples below.

Order of Order of Number of Number of Are the Order of

Matrix A Matrix B Columns of Rows of B matrices Product
A conformable Matrix
for
multiplication
?
2x3 3x2 3 3 Yes 2x2
1x2 1x2 2 1 No -
3x4 4x2 4 4 Yes 3x2
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When multiplying two matrices, we multiply ROWS of the first matrix by COLUMNS of the
second matrix.

Consider the matrices M and N below.

𝑎 𝑏 𝑒 𝑓
M=[ ]; N=[ ]
𝑐 𝑑 𝑔 ℎ

To find the product MN:

Step 1: Divide matrix M into two rows and N into two columns. This is shown below.

𝑎 𝑏 𝑒 𝑓
M=[ ] N=[ ]
𝑐 𝑑 𝑔 ℎ
Step 2: Multiply the first row of matrix M by the first column of matrix N as shown below.
This result will be the element in the first row and first column of the product matrix.

𝑎𝑒 + 𝑏𝑔
MN = [ ]

Step 3: Multiply the first row of matrix M by the second column of matrix N as shown below.
The result will be the element in the first row and second column of the product matrix.

𝑎𝑒 + 𝑏𝑔 𝑎𝑓 + 𝑏ℎ
MN = [ ]

Step 4: Multiply the second row of matrix M by the first column of matrix N. The result will
be the element in the second row and first column of the product matrix.

𝑎𝑒 + 𝑏𝑔 𝑎𝑓 + 𝑏ℎ
MN = [ ]
𝑐𝑒 + 𝑑𝑔
Step 5: Multiply the second row of matrix M by the second column of matrix N. The result
will be the element in the second row and second column of the product matrix.

𝑎𝑒 + 𝑏𝑔 𝑎𝑓 + 𝑏ℎ
MN = [ ]
𝑐𝑒 + 𝑑𝑔 𝑐𝑓 + 𝑑ℎ
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 Two matrices can only be multiplied together if the number of columns in the first matrix is equal
to the number of rows in the second matrix.
E.g. (2 x 3) and (2 x 3)

C & R are not equal, therefore the cannot be multiplied

E.g. (2 x 2) and (2 x 3)… R & C are equal therefore the can be multiplied

𝟏𝒓𝟏𝒄 𝟏𝒓𝟐𝒄
FORMAT:
𝟐𝒓𝟏𝒄 𝟐𝒓𝟐𝒄

2 4 0 1
E.g. If A= and B = , find AB.
3 5 3 2
Note that A is a (2 x 2) matrix and B is a (2 x 2) matrix therefore they can be multiplied.
2x0+4x3 2x1+ 4x2 0 + 12 2 + 8 12 10
= = =
3x0+5x3 3x1+5x2 0 + 15 3 + 10 15 13

−3 5 2 6
E.g. If X= and Y= , find XY and YX.
4 −1 3 5
XY=
−3 x2 + 5x3 −3x6 + 5x5 −6 + 15 −18 + 25 9 7
= =
4x2 + −1x3 4x6 + −1x5 8−3 24 − 5 5 19

YX=
2 6 −3 5 2 x − 3 + 6x4 2x5 + 6x − 1 −6 + 24 10 + −6 18 4
= = =
3 5 4 −1 3x − 3 + 5x4 3x5 + 5x − 1 −9 + 20 15 + −5 11 10
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Exercise:
−4 5 6 −5
If P= and Q= , Evaluate:
9 8 12 3
1) P+Q
2) P–Q
3) -4P
4) PQ
5) P2
2 0
P + Q=
21 11
−10 10
P – Q=
−3 5
−4 x − 4 5 x − 4 16 −20
-4P= =
9x−4 8x−4 −36 −32
−4 x 6 + 5 x 12 −4 x − 5 + 5 x 3 −24 + 60 20 + 15 36 35
PQ= = =
9 x 6 + 8 x 12 9x−5+8x3 54 + 96 −45 + 24 150 −21
−4 x − 4 + 5 x 9 −4 x 5 + 5 x 8 16 + 45 −20 + 40 61 20
P2 = P x P= = =
9x−4+8x9 9x5+8x8 −36 + 72 45 + 64 36 109
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Commutative Property

The commutative law for multiplication states that the order in which we multiply numbers
does not change the product.

Generally, this law DOES NOT hold for matrices. In other words, if we have two matrices,
A and B, then AB ≠ BC.

Consider the matrices, A and B below.

4 3 2 0
A=[ ] B=[ ]
1 5 8 6

4 3 2 0
AB = [ ] [ ]
1 5 8 6

(4 × 2) + (3 × 8) (4 × 0) + (3 × 6)
=[ ]
(1 × 2) + (5 × 8) (1 × 0) + (5 × 6)

8 + 24 0 + 18
=[ ]
2 + 40 0 + 30

32 18
=[ ]
42 30

2 0 4 3
BA = [ ][ ]
8 6 1 5

(2 × 4) + (0 × 1) (2 × 3) + (0 × 5)
=[ ]
(8 × 4) + (6 × 1) (8 × 3) + (6 × 5)

8+0 6+0
=[ ]
32 + 6 24 + 30

8 6
=[ ]
38 54

32 18 8 6
From this, we can see that AB =[ ] and BA = [ ].
42 30 38 54

Hence AB≠ BA, and therefore, the multiplication of matrices is NOT commutative.

(NOTE: There is an exception which we will discuss later on in the topic).

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CSEC PAST PAPER QUESTIONS:

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JAN 2016 #11 (B-C)

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(HOMEWORK)
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JAN 2021 (HOMEWORK)

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JUNE 2021 #10 (a) (HOMEWORK)

5 4 2 1 −4
(i) Calculate the matrix product ( )( )
−3 −2 0 3 6
(2 marks)
(ii) State why the two matrices in (a) (i) are conformable for multiplication
(1 mark)
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EQUALITY OF MATRICES

Two matrices are equal if:

1. They are of the same order
2. Their corresponding elements are equal
Consider the two matrices, P and Q, below.
3 −2 𝑤 𝑥
P=( ) Q = (𝑦 𝑧)
−7 6
P and Q will be equal matrices only if w = 3, x = -2, y = -7 and z = 6.

Recall: 𝑥 + 5 = 3 + 5
This implies that 𝑥 = 3.
Now, consider:

Example 1: Example 2:
2𝑎 −1 −20 −1 3𝑥 − 1 4
( )=( ) 𝑦 −13 4
4 𝑏 4 6 ( 0) = ( 2 0
)
Find the value of a and b. 2
Find the value of x and y.
Solution:
Solution:
2a = -20
𝑦
−20 3x – 1 = -13 2
=2
a= 2
3x = -13 + 1 y=2x2
a = -10
3x = -12 y=4
−12
x=
b=6 3

x=-4
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MAY 2012
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JAN 2019
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JAN 2022 #10 (B) (HOMEWORK)

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DETERMINANT OF A MATRIX DET. OR OR A

𝑎 𝑏
If A= , then the Det. A= ad-bc.
𝑐 𝑑
2 1
E.g. If A= , find Det. A.
−1 2
Det.A = ad-bc = (2)(2) –(1) (-1) = 5. Therefore the Det. A =5
4 −3
E.g. If B= , find Det. B.
5 −2
Det. B = ad-bc = 4(-2) – (-3)(5)= -8 + 15= 7. Therefore the Det. B= 7
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SINGULAR MATRIX
A singular matrix is one which the determinant is always equal to zero.
CSEC PAST PAPER QUESTIONS:

MAY 2005
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JAN 2006
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JAN 2007
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JAN 2008
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JAN 2016 (HOMEWORK)

#11
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MAY 2016

JAN 2019