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Section 8.

3 • The Inverse of a Square Matrix 149


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Section 8.3 The Inverse of a Square Matrix

Objective: In this lesson you learned how to find the inverses of


matrices and use inverse matrices to solve systems of linear
equations.

Important Vocabulary Define each term or concept.

Inverse of a matrix Let A be an n × n matrix and let In be the n × n identity matrix. If


there exists a matrix A–1 such that AA–1 = In = A–1A then A–1 is called the inverse of A.

I. The Inverse of a Matrix (Page 602) What you should learn


How to verify that two
To verify that a matrix B is the inverse of the matrix A, . . . matrices are inverses of
show that AB = I = BA. each other

II. Finding Inverse Matrices (Pages 603−605)


What you should learn
How to use Gauss-Jordan
If a matrix A has an inverse, A is called invertible or
elimination to find the
nonsingular. Otherwise, A is called singular . inverses of matrices

To have an inverse, a matrix must be square . Not all


square matrices have inverses. However, if a matrix does have an
inverse, that inverse is unique .

To find the inverse of a square matrix A of order n, . . .


write the n × 2n matrix that consists of the given matrix A on the
left and the n × n identity matrix I on the right to obtain [A : I].
Then, if possible, row reduce A to I using elementary row
operations on the entire matrix [A : I]. The result will be the
matrix [I : A−1]. If this is not possible, then A is not invertible.
Finally, check your work by multiplying to see that
AA−1 = I = A−1A.
⎡1 2 4 ⎤
Example 1: Find the inverse of the matrix A = ⎢1 0 2⎥ .
⎢2 3 6⎥
⎣ ⎦
⎡−3 0 2⎤
A−1 = ⎢−1 −1 1⎮
⎣ 3/2 1/2 − 1⎦

Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE


Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
150 Chapter 8 • Matrices and Determinants

III. The Inverse of a 2 × 2 Matrix (Page 606) What you should learn
How to use a formula to
⎡a b ⎤ find the inverses of 2 × 2
If A is a 2 × 2 matrix given by A = ⎢ , then A is invertible if
⎣ c d ⎥⎦ matrices
and only if ad − bc ≠ 0 . Moreover, if this condition
is true, the inverse of A is given by:

1 ⎡ d −b⎤
A −1
= ⎢ ⎥
⎢− c a ⎥
ad − bc ⎣ ⎦

The denominator is called the determinant of the


2 × 2 matrix A.

⎡ 3 9⎤
Example 2: Find the inverse of the matrix B = ⎢ ⎥⎦ .
⎣ − 2 − 7

B−1 = ⎡ 7/3 3 ⎤
⎣ − 2/3 − 1⎦

IV. Systems of Linear Equations (Page 607) What you should learn
How to use inverse
If A is an invertible matrix, the system of linear equations matrices to solve systems
represented by AX = B has a unique solution given by of linear equations
X = A−1B .

Example 3: Use an inverse matrix to solve (if possible) the


system of linear equations:
⎧12 x + 8 y = 416

⎩3 x + 5 y = 152

The solution is x = 24 and y = 16.

Homework Assignment

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Larson/Hostetler Precalculus/Precalculus with Limits Notetaking Guide IAE


Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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