MATRICES

Definition
A matrix is a system of numbers arranged in a rectangular array in rows and columns and
bounded by brackets. E.g.

 a11 a12 a13 ...... a1n 

 
 a 21 a 22 a 23 ........ a2n 
A   a31 a32 a33 ......... a3n 
 
 ..... ..... ...... ...... ......
a a mn 
 m1 a m 2 a m3 .........
Every matrix is characterized by:

 Order or dimension: It is defined by the number of rows ( m ) and number of columns (

n ) and denoted ( m  n ) and read as m by n .
 Membership: Matrices are denoted by capital letters while their members or elements
are designated by subscripted lower case letters of the alphabet. The first subscript refers
to the row to which the element belongs while the second the column.
Let us consider a set of simultaneous equations
x  2 y  3z  5t  0
4 x  2 y  5 z  7t  0
3x  4 y  2 z  6t  0

Now we write down the coefficients of x, y, z, t of the above equations and enclose them within
brackets and then get

1 2 3 5
 
A  4 2 5 7
 3 4 2 6
 

The above matrix has got 3 rows and 4 columns and in all 3  4  12 elements. It is termed as
3 4 matrix, to be read as [ 3 by 4 matrix].

Types of matrices
1. Row matrix
If a matrix has only one row and any number of columns, it is called a row matrix e.g.
1 5 4
2. Column matrix
A matrix having one column and any number of rows, is called a column matrix e.g.
 1
 
 6
3. Null matrix or zero matrix
Any matrix in which all the elements are zero, is called a zero matrix or null matrix, e.g.
0 0 0
 
A  0 0 0
0 0 0
 
4. Square matrix
A matrix in which the number of rows is equal to the number of columns, is called a
square matrix, e.g.
2 1
 
4 7

5. Diagonal matrix
A square matrix is called a diagonal matrix, if all its non-diagonal elements are zero, e.g.
 2 0 0
 
 0 3 0
0 0 1
 
6. Unit or Identity matrix
A square matrix is called a unit matrix if all the diagonal elements are unity and non-
diagonal elements are zero, e.g.
1 0 0
1 0  
  ,  0 1 0 
0 1 0 0 1
 
Note: Identity matrix of order 2 is denoted by I 2 and identity matrix of order 3 is denoted
by I 3 .
7. Symmetric matrix
A square matrix is called symmetric, if all values i and j , i.e. aij  a ji or AT  A e.g.
a h g
 
h b f
g c 
 f
8. Skew symmetric matrix
A square matrix is called skew symmetric matrix, if
(i) aij   a ji for all values of i and j , or AT   A .
(ii) All diagonal elements are zero.
 0 h g
 
e.g. h 0 f
g 0 
 f

9. Triangular matrix (Echelon form)

A square matrix, all of whose elements below the leading diagonal are zero is called an
upper triangular matrix. e.g.

1 4 2
 
0 3 1
0 0 6
 
A square matrix, all of whose elements above the leading diagonal are zero, is called a
lower triangular matrix, e.g.

 2 0 0
 
 5 3 0
8 7 1
 

10. Transpose of a matrix

If in a given matrix A , we interchange the rows and the corresponding columns, the new
matrix obtained is called the transpose of the matrix A and is denoted by AT or A / . E.g.
 2 4 1  2 7 0
   
A   7 1 5 , A   4 1 6
T

 0 6 1 1 5 1
   
11. Orthogonal matrix
A square matrix A is called an orthogonal matrix if the product of the matrix A and the
transpose matrix AT is an identity matrix.
E.g. AA T  I
If A  1 , matrix A is proper.
12. Singular Matrix: A square matrix whose determinant is zero and has no inverse.
2 1 
Let A   
 1 0 .5 
det A  2  0.5  1  1  0
13. Scalar matrix: A square matrix is said to be scalar matrix if its non-diagonal elements
are zero and diagonal elements are equal.
 4 0 0
 3 0  
For example ,   and  0 4 0  are scalar matrices.
 0 3  0 0 4
 
14. Sub matrix: A matrix obtained by deleting any number of rows and columns of a given
matrix A is called the sub-matrix of A .
1 4 2
  1 4 
For example, if A   3  1 7  , then B    is a sub-matrix of A , obtained by
1 1 5  3  1 
 
deleting the third row and third column of A .
15. Equal matrices
Two matrices are said to be equal if
(i) They are of the same order.
(ii) The elements in the corresponding positions are equal.

 2 3  2 3
Thus if A    and B    . Hence A  B.
1 4 1 4
Example
1. Find the value of x , y , z and w which satisfy the matrix equation.
 x  3 2y  x  0  7
    
 z  1 4 w  6   3 2 w 
Solution
Since the given matrices are equal, so their corresponding elements are equal
x  3  0 or x  3
2 y  x  7 or y  2
z  1  3 or z  4
4w  6  2w or w  3
 x  3, y  2, z  4, w  3