First Year Engineering, Semester I (All Branches)

Engineering Mathematics I.
Module1: Matrices
Practice Problems
1. Let 𝐴 and 𝐵 be two symmetric matrices of same order. Prove that 𝐴𝐵 is
symmetric iff 𝐴𝐵 = 𝐵𝐴.
2. Express each of the following matrices as the sum of symmetric and skew-
symmetric matrix:
3 −2 6 𝑎 𝑎 𝑏
a) (2 7 −1) b) ( 𝑐 𝑏 𝑏)
5 4 0 𝑐 𝑎 𝑐

1 5 7 1 2 2
c) (−1 −2 −4) d) (2 1 2)
8 2 13 2 2 1

3. Show that every square matrix can be uniquely expressed as the sum of
Hermitian and Skew-Hermitian matrix.
4. Show that every square matrix can be uniquely expressed as P + iQ where P and
Q are both Hermitian.
5. Verify whether the following matrices are orthogonal and hence find its inverse.
−8 4 1 cos 𝛼 0 sin 𝛼
1
a) 𝐴 = 9 ( 1 4 −8) b) 𝐴 = ( 0 1 0 )
4 7 4 − sin 𝛼 0 cos 𝛼

1 −2 2 cos 𝛼 0 sin 𝛼
1
c) 𝐴 = 3 ( −2 1 2) d) 𝐴 = ( sin 𝜃 sin 𝛼 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 −sin 𝜃 cos 𝛼 )
−2 −2 −1 − cos 𝜃 sin 𝛼 sin 𝜃 cos 𝜃 cos 𝛼

−2 1 2
1
e) = 3 [ 2 2 1]
1 −2 2

𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
6. (a) If 3𝐴 = (−2 1 2) and if 𝐴 is orthogonal, find 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐.
1 −2 2

0 2𝑏 𝑐
(b) If 𝐴 = 𝑎
( 𝑏 −𝑐) and if 𝐴 is orthogonal, find 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐.
𝑎 −𝑏 𝑐

7. Verify whether the following matrices are unitary and hence find its inverse.
1 −𝑖 −1 + 𝑖 0 1 0
1
a) 𝐴 = 2 ( 𝑖 1 1+𝑖 ) b) 𝐴 = (0 0 1)
1 + 𝑖 −1 + 𝑖 0 1 0 0

1+𝑖 −1+𝑖
1
√2 −𝑖√2 0
2 2
c) 𝐴 = 2 [𝑖√2 −√2 0] d) 𝐴 = [1+𝑖 1−𝑖
]
0 0 2 2 2
 1 1 1
1
8. Prove that U= (1 𝑤 𝑤 2 ) is unitary and hence find its inverse, where 𝑤
√3
1 𝑤2 𝑤
is the complex cube root of unity.

0 1 + 2𝑖
9. If 𝑁 = [ ] then show that (𝐼 − 𝑁)(𝐼 + 𝑁)−1 is a unitary matrix.
−1 + 2𝑖 0

10. Determine the rank of the following matrices by row echelon form:
0 1 −3 −1
1 2 3
1 0 1 1
a) 𝐴 = (1 4 2) b) 𝐴 = ( )
3 1 0 2
2 6 5
1 1 −2 0

2 4 3 2
1 2 3
3 6 5 2
c) 𝐴 = (2 4 7) d) 𝐴 = ( )
2 5 2 −3
3 6 10
4 5 14 14

0 −1 2 3 3 −2 0 −1
2 3 4 5 0 2 2 1
e) 𝐴 = [ ] f) 𝐴 = [ ]
1 3 −1 2 1 −2 −3 2
3 2 4 1 0 1 2 1

2 3 −1 −1
1 −1 −2 −4
g) ( )
3 1 3 −2
6 3 0 −7
2 −4 3 0
1 1 −1 1
1 −2 1 2
h) [1 −1 2 −1] i) ( )
0 1 −1 1
3 1 0 1
4 −7 4 5

1 1 2 1 2 3 −4
j) 𝐴 = (1 2 3) k) 𝐴 = ( 2 1 4 −5)
0 −1 −1 −1 −5 −5 7

1 1 1 1 2 3 2
l) 𝐴 = (1 −1 −1) m) 𝐴 = (2 3 5 1)
3 1 3 1 3 4 5

11. Solve the following system of linear equations.

a) 3𝑥 + 𝑦 + 2𝑧 = 3, 2𝑥 − 3𝑦 − 𝑧 = −3, 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 𝑧 = 4.
b) 𝑥 − 𝑦 + 2𝑧 = 3, 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑧 = 5, 3𝑥 − 4𝑦 − 5𝑧 = −13.

12. Solve the following system of homogeneous linear equation.

a) 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑧 = 0, 3𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 4𝑧 = 0, 7𝑥 + 10𝑦 + 12𝑧 = 0.
b) 3 𝑥 + 2𝑧 + 2𝑤 = 0, −𝑥 + 7𝑦 + 4𝑧 + 9𝑤 = 0, 7𝑥 − 7𝑦 − 5𝑤 = 0.
13. Q.4] Determine the values of 𝜆 for which the following sets of equations may
possess a non-trivial solution. For each permissible value of 𝜆, determine the
general solution.
3𝑥1 + 𝑥2 − 𝜆𝑥3 = 0, 4𝑥1 − 2𝑥2 − 3𝑥3 = 0, 2𝜆𝑥1 + 4𝑥2 + 𝜆𝑥3 = 0.

14. Q.5] Determine the values of 𝑎 for which the following sets of equations may
possess a non-trivial solution. For each permissible value of 𝑎, determine the
general solution.
𝑥1 + 2𝑥2 + 3𝑥3 = 4, 2𝑥1 − 𝑥2 − 2𝑥3 = 𝑎2 , −𝑥1 − 7𝑥2 − 11𝑥3 = 𝑎.

15. Q.6] Test for consistency and solve the given system of nonhomogeneous linear
equation.
a) 5𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 7𝑧 = 4, 3𝑥 + 26𝑦 + 2𝑧 = 9, 7𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 10𝑧 = 5.
b) 2𝑥 + 6𝑦 = −11, 6𝑥 + 20𝑦 − 6𝑧 = −3, 6𝑦 − 18𝑧 = −1.

16. Investigate the value of 𝜆 and 𝜇 so that the equations

2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 5𝑧 = 9, 7𝑥 + 3𝑦 − 2𝑧 = 8, 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 𝜆𝑧 = 𝜇
have (i) no solution, (ii) a unique solution, (iii) an infinite number of solutions.

17. Find the value of 𝐾 so that the equations

2𝑥 − 3𝑦 + 6𝑧 − 5𝑡 = 3, 𝑦 − 4𝑧 + 𝑡 = 1, 4𝑥 − 5𝑦 + 8𝑧 − 9𝑡 = 𝐾
have (i) no solution, (ii) an infinite number of solutions.

18. Determine for what value of 𝜆 and 𝜇 the following equations have
i) no solution, (ii) a unique solution, (iii) an infinite number of solutions.
x + y + z = 6, x + 2y + 3z =10, x + 2y + 𝜆z = 𝜇.

19. Are the following vectors linearly dependent? If so, express one of these as a
linear combination of others.
a) (3,2,7), (2,4,1), (1, −2,6).
b) (2, −1,3,2), (1,3,4,2), (2, −5,2,2).
c) (1,1, −1), (2, −3,5), (2, −1,4).
d) (1,2,4), (2, −1,3), (0,1,2), (−3,7,2).
e) (1,0,2,1), (3,1,2,1), (4,6,2, −4), (−6,0, −3, −4).
f) (1, −1,1), (2,1,1), (3,0,2).