MATRICES

Many times we have to encounter the situations

of solving system of linear equations in several
variables.
For example.
2x + y+ 2z 12u + v + 2w =1
x + 2y z + 6u + 2v w =2
5x + 4y + 3z + 45u + 4v+ 3w = 4
3x + 20y 2z 6u + 8v 4 w = 2
20x + y 2z 2u + v + 2w =7
2x - 3y + 20z + 5u + 4v 5w = 19
 QUESTIONS :
1) Whether the solution exists or not ?
2) Whether there exist(s) ,
(a) Only one solution (UNIQUE)?
(b) More than one solutions or Infinite
solutions?
(c) No solution? and
(d) Can we have a simple method to obtain
the solution (s) ?
Cramers Rule and Matrix Inversion could not
answer all the questions (a) (b) (c) (d).
 Rank of a matrix
Rank of a matrix helps the methods, which Answer (a)
(b) (c) (d) in a far better way than Cramers Rule and
Matrix Inversion.
Sub-matrix of a matrix A: The matrix, obtained by
deleting some rows or columns or both of a matrix A.
Let 1 2 3 0 , then 1 2 3 0 , 1 2 3
2 1 2 3 2 1 2 3
A= 2 1 2
0 2 1 3 0 2 1 3
0 2 1
1 2 6 4
1 2 6
1 2 0
are submatrices of A obtained by deleting
2 1 3 third row, third column, second column
0 2 3
and fourth row, respectively.
 Rank of a matrix
Minors of order r of a matrix A: The determinant of
any rr (Square) sub-matrix of m n matrix A.

1 2 3 0
2 1 2 3 1 2 3
1 2 3
Let A= , then 2 1 2 , 2 1 3
0 2 1 3
0 2 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4

are the minors of order 3

1 2 2 3
and ; are the minors of order 2
2 1 1 2
 Rank of a matrix
Definition: Rank of a matrix A is r if,
i) It has at least one non-zero minor of order
r and
ii) All the minors of order higher than r are
zeroes.
Notation: If Rank of a matrix A is r then it is
denoted as (A) = r
As a consequence of condition (ii), every minor
of order greater than r will be zero.
In short, we say that the rank of a matrix is the
largest order of a non-zero minor of the matrix.
 Rank of a matrix
If A is a null matrix then (A) = 0.

If A is not a null matrix then (A) 1.

If A is a m n matrix, then (A) min (m, n).

If A is a square matrix of order n, then (A) = n iff |A| 0.

(A) = (AT) .

If A has a non-zero minor of order r then (A) r.

If all the minors of order r+1 of A are 0, then (A) r.

 Example(s)
Find the rank of each of the following
1 2 3
(a) A = 4 5 3
2 4 1

2 3 4
(b) B = 3 1 2
1 2 2

2 3 4
(c) C = 4 6 8
6 9 12
Solution:
1 2 3

(a) The rank of the matrix A = 4 5 3 is 3.

2 4 1
1 2 3
As | A| = 4 5 3 = 1 (5 12) 2 (4 6) + 3 (16 10)
2 4 1
= 7 + 4 + 18 = 15 0

2 3 4
= 3 1 2
(b) Rank of B is 2.
1 2 2
 Solution:
as | B | = 0 , and there is a non-zero minor of
order 2, namely, 2 3
=70
3 1
2 3 4
(c) Finally for the rank of the matrix C = 4 6 8
6 9 12

We see | C | = 0 , its rank 3.

Also every minor of order 2 of C is also zero.
Its rank 2
As the matrix is a non-zero matrix, so its rank is 1.
 Elementary Transformations
The following operations w.r.t. a matrix are known as
elementary transformations.
Interchange of any two ROWS, indicated by Rij or by
Ri Rj
Multiplication of elements of any ROW by a non-zero
real number, indicated by Ri kRi
Addition of the constant multiple of jth ROW to ith ROW
indicated by Ri Ri + kRj
Similar COLUMN transformation are denoted by

Cij , kCi, Ci + kCj