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

2
1
2

A=

0
2 1 3
0 2 1 3
0
2 1

1 2 6 4

2 6
1
2 0
1

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.

Let

1
2
A=
0

2 3
1 2

0
3
2 1 3

2 3 4

1 2 3
, then 2 1 2
0 2 1

1 2 3
, 2 1 3
2 3 4

are the minors of order 3

and

2 1

2 3
1

are the minors of order 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
(a)

1 2 3
A = 4 5 3
2 4 1

(b)

2 3 4
B = 3 1 2
1 2 2

(c)

3
4
2
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
=
(b) Rank of

is 2.
1 2 2

Solution:

as | B | = 0 , and there is a non-zero minor of

order 2, namely, 2 3

3 1

=70

(c) Finally for the rank of the matrix C = 4

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

Example.
Using elementary transformations reduce
the matrix A first to upper triangular
and then to identity matrix where
2 5 7
A = 1 2 3

3 1 2
2
Solution: 1

5
2
1

3
2

Solution:

Operating R1

R2

Operating R2 R2-2R1,
and R3 R3-3R1

Operating R3 R3 +5R2

1
A = 2

5
1

1
0
A~
0

2
1
5

1
7

1
0
A~
0

2
1

3
1
2

7
2

(Upper Triangular Form)

Solution:
Operating C2 C2-2C1,
C3 C3-3C1

Operating C3 C3-C2

Operating C3 C3 / (-2)

A~ 0

0
1
A~ 0

1
A~ 0

1
2

0
1
0

0
2

0
1

0
1

0
1

(Identity matrix)

 Definition: Two matrices A and B are said to be

equivalent, if one can be obtained from another by a
sequence of elementary transformations and the same is
symbolically written as A~B.
Example: Using elementary transformations find the
ranks of the following matrices
2
1 0
(2) 1 2 3 (3) 1
(1) 2 3 1 1
2 4

1 1 2 4
3
0
2 4 7

1
0
2 8
3 1 3 2
3 6 10

6 3 0 7
(5) 9 1 9 2 9 3 9 4 9 5
(4) 1 4 3 2 1

2 3 1 9 3

1 6 7 12 9

3 3 6 21 12

92
93

94

93
94

94
95

95
96

95

96

97

96
97

98

 SOLUTIONS
(1)

Let A =

Operating

R12

2
1

3 1 1
1 2 4
1 3 2

3 0 7

1
2

1 2 4
3 1 1
1 3 2

3 0 7

1
Operating
R2 R2 -2R1, 0
R3 R3-3R1, R4 R4-6R1 0

Operating

R2 R2 -R3,

1
5
4
9

2
3
9
12

1 1 2
0 1 6

0 4 9

0 9 12

4
7
10

17
4
3
10

17

 Operating R3 R3-4R2 ,
R4 R4-9R2

Operating , R4 R4-2R3

1 1
0 1

0 0

0 0

2 4
6 3
33 22

66 44

1 1 2 4
A ~ 0 1 6 3

0 0 33 22

0 0 0 0

Observe that the matrix is in UPPER TRIANGULAR FORM

The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

(A) = 3

 (2)

1
B = 2
3

Operating R2R2 -2R1,

R3R3-3R1

3
4 7
6 10
2

1
B ~ 0

2
0
0

1
1

Though the matrix is in Upper Triangular Form

we observe that R2 and
Operating R3 R3-R2

R3 are identical.
1 2 3

B ~ 0 0 1
0 0 0

This form of the matrix where,

(i) First non-zero entry (or element) in every non-zero
row is UNITY or can be made unity.
(ii) Elements in the column below these above
mentioned UNITIES are zeroes Or the number of
zeroes before the non-zero element increases with row
number.
(iii) All the zero rows are below the non-zero rows
is known as ROW ECHELON FORM
The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

(B) = 2

(3) Reduce to row -echelon

2
form and find rank of C for, C =
1

2
4
0

1 0
3 0
2 8

Operating R2 R2+2R1,
R3 R3-R1

C~ 0

1 0
5 0
1 8

Operating

1
C ~ 0

2
2
8

1 0

1 8
5 0

R23

2
8

Operating R3 R3+4R2

C2
Operating
(2)

Operating R3
9

1
C ~
0
0

2
2
0

1
C~
0
0

1 1 0
1 1 8
0 9 0

1
C ~ 0
0

1 1 0
1 1 8
0 1 0

This is in Row- echelon form.

1 0
1 8
9 0

The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

(C) = 3

(4)

1
2
=
1

4 3 2 1
3 1 9 3
6 7 12 9

3 6 21 12

Operating C2 C2-4C1,
C3 C3-3C1 , C4 C4+2C1,
C5 C5 - C1

D~

Operating C3 C3 -C2,
C4 C4 -C2, C5 C5 -C2

D ~

0 0 0 0
5 5 5 5

10 10 10 10

15 15 15 15

0 0 0
0 0 0
1 10 0 0 0

3 15 0 0 0

1
2

0
5

Lower Triangular form

The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero columns

(D) = 2

91 92 93 94 95
(5)
92 93 94 95 96
Find the rank by reducing

E =
the following matrix :
93 94 95 96 97

94 95 96 97 98

Operating R2R2 -R1,

R3R3 -R1 ,
R4R4 -R1

91 92 93 94 95
1 1 1 1 1

E~
2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3

Operating R12

1 1 1 1 1
91 92 93 94 95

E~
2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3

Operating R2 R2 -91R1,
R3 R3 -2R1,
R4 R4 -3R1

1
0
E~
0

1 1 1 1
1 2 3 4
0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

This is in Row- echelon form.

The rank of the matrix = the number of non zero rows

(E) = 2

Operating R2 R2 -91R1,
R3 R3 -2R1,
R4 R4 -3R1

1
0
E~
0

1 1 1 1
1 2 3 4
0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

Operating C1C1 C2 ,
C3 C3 -C2 ,
C4 C4 - C2

0
0
E~
0

1 0 0 0
1 1 2 3
0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

Operating C2C2 C3 , C4 C4 -2C3 , C5 C5 - 3C3 ,

we get E in normal form and number of 1s available in
this normal form i.e. 2 (TWO) determines the rank of the
matrix.

CONSISTENCY OF SYSTEM OF
SIMULTANEOUS LINEAR EQUATIONS
Consider the following set of Linear equations.

a11 x1 + a12 x 2 + a13 x 3 + . . . + a1n xn = b1

a 21 x1 + a 22 x 2 + a 23 x 3 + . . . + a 2n xn = b 2
....
....
....
am1 x1 +

....
....
....
am 2 x 2 +

....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
am 3 x 3 + . . . + amn xn = bm

From the knowledge of matrix multiplication,

this can be written in matrix form

a11

a 21
....

....

....

am1

i.e.,

a 22 a 23 .... .... a 2n
.... .... .... .... ....

.... .... .... .... ....

.... .... .... .... ....

am 2 am 3 .... .... amn
a12

a13 .... .... a1n

AX = D

x1 b 1
x b
2 2
x3 b3
=
... ...
... ...

xn bm

where a a a .... .... a

1n
11
12
13

a 21 a 22 a 23
.... .... ....
A=
.... .... ....

.... .... ....

an1 an 2 an 3

.... ....
.... ....
.... ....
.... ....
.... ....

a 2n
....
,
....

....
ann

x1
b1
x
b
2
2
x3
b 2
X = , and D =
...
...
...
...


xn
bn

 Here A is called coefficient matrix, X is

called variable vector and D is called
Right hand side column vector.
If D = 0 i.e. b1, b2,, bm = 0 then the
matrix equation becomes A X = 0,
which is called a system of
HOMOGENEOUS linear equations.
If D 0 then the system A X = D is
called a system of
NON-HOMOGENEOUS linear equations.

and

C = [ A | D]
a11 a12 . . . a1n b1
a

.
.
.
a
a
b
21
22
2
n
2

= .......................

.......................
am1 am 2 . . . am n bm

is called the AUGMENTED MATRIX.

 To solve a non-homogeneous system

of linear equations:
First, we calculate the rank of
Augmented Matrix C = [A | D].
If [A | D] = (A) = n (number of
variables) the system will be consistent
and will have UNIQUE solution.
If [A | D] = (A) < n (number of
variables) the system will be consistent
but will have infinite number of
solutions

If [A | D] (A) the system will have NO

solution i.e. the system will be
INCONSISTENT.
After checking above three conditions if
the system is consistent
then its solution is calculated by, again
converting the Upper triangular /
Echelon form of the Augmented Matrix D
(from which rank was found) into linear
equations and solving it.

Example 1 Test the consistency and solve

Solution:

x-2y+3z= 8
2x-3y
= -5
x+ y+ z = 9

( *)

To test the consistency, we calculate the

Augmented matrix of the system (*)
And then we find
i) the rank of matrix [A/D]
ii) the rank of matrix A

Here

1 2 3
A = 2 3 0 X =

1 1 1

x
y D =

z

Then (*) in matrix form is

Consider [A/D]=

8
5

9

AX = D

1 2 3 8
2 3 0 5

1 1 1 9
(Augmented matrix)

Operating

R2 R2 -2R1, R3 R3-R1

1 2 3 8
[A/D] ~ 0 1 6 21

0 3 2 1

1 2 3 8
0 1 6 21
[A/D] ~
(**)
0 0 16 64

Operating R3 R3-3R2

( (A) = 3 ) =

System

((A/D) = 3)

of equations (*) are consistent.

( (A) = 3 ) = ((A/D) = 3) = No. of unknowns
There exists a unique solution of (*)

(*) and (**) are equivalent system

(**)

x - 2y + 3z = 8
--------(i)
y - 6z = -21 --------(ii)
16z = 64 --------(iii)

(iii)
z = 4 in (ii)
y = 3 and z = 4 in (i)

z=4
y=3
x=2

Answer x = 2, y = 3 and z = 4

Example 2
Test the consistency and solve
2x+y+2z=1
x+2y - z=2 ( *)
5x+4y+3z=4
To test the consistency, we calculate the Augmented matrix of the
system (*) And then we find
i) the rank of matrix [A/D]
ii) the rank of matrix A

Here

2 1 2
x
1 2 1
y
A=
X=
5 4 3
z

1
2
D=
4

Then (*) in matrix form is

AX = D

2 1 2 1
1 2 1 2
Consider [A/D]=

5 4 3 4
Operating R12

(Augmented
matrix)

1 2 1 2
2 1 2 1
[A/D] ~

5 4 3 4
Operating R2 R2 - 2R1, R3 R3 - 5R1

1 2 1 2

[A/D] ~ 0 3 4 3

0 6 8 6

Operating

R3 R3-2R2

1 2 1 2
0 3 4 3
[A/D] ~

0 0 0 0
( (A) = 2 ) =

(**)

((A/D) = 2)

System of equations (*) is consistent

( (A) = 2 ) = ((A/D) = 2) < No.of unknowns=3
There exist infinite solutions of (*)
(*) and (**) are equivalent system

x+ 2y - z = 2 --------(i)

(**)

-3y+ 4z = -3 --------(ii)
Let z = k be the parameters
y=

4
1+
3

Answer: x = -

x=5
3

5
3

y=

4
1+
3

z=k

For k = 3 x = -5 y = 5 z = 3
is one particular solution.

Example 3. Test the consistency and solve

x-4y+7z=14
3x+8y -2 z=13
(*)
7x-8y+26z=5
To test the consistency, we calculate the
Augmented matrix of the system (*)
And then we find
i) the rank of matrix [A/D]
ii) the rank of matrix A

1 4 7 14
3 8 2 13
Consider [A/D]=

7 8 2 6 5

Operating

R2 R2 - 3R1, R3 R3 - 7R1

14
1 4 7

[A/D] ~ 0 2 0 2 3 2 9
0 2 0 2 3 9 3
Operating R3 R3-R2

1 4 7
0 20 23
[A/D] ~
0 0
0

14

29
6 4

( (A) = 2 ) ((A/D) = 3)
There exists no solution of system of simultaneous
linear equations(*).

System of Homogeneous Linear

Equations

a11 x1 + a12 x 2 + . . . + a1n xn = 0

a 21 x1 + a 22 x 2 + . . . + a 2n xn = 0
...........................
............................
am1 x1 + am2 x 2 + . . . + amn xn = 0

which can be written as

a11 a12 . . . a1n

a 21 a 22 . . . a 2n
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
a

a
.
.
.
a
m1
m2
mn

x1 0
x 0
2
. = .

.
.

xn 0

or
AX = O
For such a system the [A] is always
equal to [A / D].
Hence a system of Homogeneous linear
equations is always consistent.
There are following cases:

1. If

[A] = n (number of var iables)

i.e | A | 0 then the system (1) will

have only Zero or Trivial or Unique

Solution.
2. If

[A] < n (number of var iables)

i.e | A | = 0 then the system (1) will
have Non-Zero or Non-Trivial or
Infinite number of Solutions.

Example-1
equations

Solve the system of

x + 3 y 2z = 0
2x y + 4z = 0
x 11y + 14z = 0

Solution: The given system of equation

can be written as

1 3 2 x 0
2 1 4 y = 0

1 11 14 z 0

i.e. AX = O , where the coefficient

matrix

1 3 2

A = 2 1 4

1 11 14

Applying R 2 R 2 2R 1 ,

R 3 R 3 R1

1 3 2

A 0 7 8

0 14 16
Applying R 3 R 3 2R 2

1 3 2

A 0 7 8

0 0 0

which is in Echelon form and hence

[A] = 2 < 3 (number of var iables).

Therefore, the given system has nontrivial solutions.

Converting last form of A into equations

we get

x + 3y 2z = 0

7y + 8z = 0

On assuming z = k , where k is arbitrary

constant and applying back substitution,
we find

8k
10k
that y =
and x =
.
7
7
10k
8k
Thus x =
,y=
and z = k are
7
7
the solutions of given system.

Example-2
equations

Solve the system of

x + 2 y + 3z = 0

3x + 4y + 4z = 0
7x + 10y + 12z = 0
Solution: The given system of equation
can be written as

1 2 3 x 0
3 4 4 y = 0

7 10 12 z 0
i.e. AX = O , where the coefficient
matrix

1 2 3

A= 3 4 4

7 10 12

Applying R 2 R 2 3R 1 ,

R 3 R 3 7R1

1 2 3

A 0 2 5

0 4 9
Applying R 3 R 3 2R 2
1 2 3

A 0 2 5

0 0 1

which is in Echelon form and hence

[A] = 3 = (number of var iables).

Therefore, the given system has trivial or

zero or unique solution.

Thus x = 0 , y = 0 and z = 0 is the only

solution of given system.

Example-3 For what values of and

, the following non-homogeneous
system

x+y+z=6

x + 2y + 3z = 10
x + 2y + z =
will have
(i) Unique solution
(ii) No solution
(iii) Infinite number of solutions.

Solution: The given system of equation

can be written as

1 1 1 x 6
1 2 3 y = 10

1 2 z
i.e. AX = D , where the augmented
matrix

1 1 1 6

[A / D] = 1 2 3 10
1 2
Applying R 2 R 2 R 1 ,
R 3 R 3 R1
1 1
1
6

[A / D] = 0 1
2
4
0 1 1 6

Applying R 3 R 3 R 2

1 1
1
6

[A / D] = 0 1
2
4
0 0 3 10

which is in Echelon form.

(i) For Unique solution, we require

[A / D] = (A) = 3 (number of vari

, which is possible iff.:

 3 0 3.
(ii) For No solution, we require
[A / D] (A) , which is
possible iff.:

3 = 0 and 10 0
Or = 3 and 10

(iii) For Infinite number of solutions, we

require

[A / D] = (A) < 3 (number of variables)

which is possible iff.:
3 = 0 and 10 = 0