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There are many types of matrices with special properties that include transposes,
inverses, and matrix operations. These matrices can either be diagonal, triangular, or
symmetrical.
Triangular Matrices:
Triangular matrices can fall into one of two categories—lower triangular or upper
triangular.
Lower Triangular Matrices:
A lower triangular matrix is a matrix where there are zeros above the main
diagonal.
− 3 0 0 0
1 0 0 2 −2
− 3 0 2 1 0 0 0
Examples: 1 1 0
2 4 3 2 1
1
1 1 1 − 4
1. Inverses of Lower Triangular Matrices
The inverse of a lower triangular matrix is also lower triangular.
1 0 0
Example: Find the inverse of 2 1 0 , if it exists.
3 2 1
a. Attach the identity matrix to the given matrix.
1 0 0 1 0 0
2 1 0 0 1 0
3 2 1 0 0 1
b. Reduce A to In using the Gauss-Jordan Elimination method.
1 0 0 1 0 0 R 2− 2 R1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
R 3−3 R1 R 3− 2 R 2
2 1 0 0 1 0 → 0 1 0 − 2 1 0 →0 1 0 − 2 1 0
3 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 1 − 3 0 1 0 0 1 − 3 − 2 1
c. Check the answer by multiplying AA-1. This should yield the identity matrix In.
If it doesn’t, go back and check your work.
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0
2 1 0 − 2 1 0 = 0 1 0
3 2 1 − 3 − 2 1 0 0 1
2. Multiplying Lower Triangular Matrices
The product of two or more lower triangular matrices is also lower
triangular.
− 3 0 − 3 0
Example: Compute .
2 4 2 4
Multiplying these two lower triangular matrices together yields
− 3 0 − 3 0 9 0
2 4 2 4 = 2 16
Hence, the product is also lower triangular.
1 0 0
Transposing the matrix yields 2 1 0 , which is an upper triangular matrix.
3 2 1
− 3 2
Example: Find the inverse of , if it exists.
0 4
Using the formula to find the inverse of a 2 x 2 matrix gives
1 4 − 2 1 − 1 / 3 1 / 6
A= =
− 12 0 − 3 − 12 0
1 / 4
2. Multiplying Upper Triangular Matrices
The product of two or more upper triangular matrices is also lower
triangular.
1 2 3 1 2 3
Example: Compute 0 1 2 0 1 2 .
0 0 1 0 0 1
Multiplying these two upper triangular matrices together yields
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 4 10
0 1 2 0 1 2 = 0 1 4
0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1
Hence, the product is also upper triangular.
Symmetric Matrices:
A symmetric matrix is a matrix which its transpose is equal to itself, ie AT = A.
− 3 2 1 1
1 2 3 2 −2
− 3 2 2 1 2 1 1
Examples: 1 1 1
2 4 3 2 1
1
1 1 1 − 4
1. Inverse of Symmetric Matrices
The inverse of a symmetric matrix is also symmetric.
− 3 2
Example: Find the inverse of , if it exists.
2 4
Using the formula to find the inverse of a 2 x 2 matrix gives
1 4 − 2 1 − 1 / 4 1 / 8
A −1 = =
− 16 − 2 − 3 − 16 2 / 8 − 3 / 16
2. Multiplying Symmetric Matrices
The product of two symmetric matrices is also symmetric.
− 3 2 − 3 2
Example: Compute .
2 4 2 4
The product of these two symmetric matrices is given by
− 3 2 − 3 2 13 2
2 4 2 4 = 2 20
Diagonal Matrices:
A diagonal matrix is a matrix where it is upper triangular, lower triangular, and
symmetric.
− 3 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 −2
− 3 0 0 2 0 0 0
Examples: 0 0 0
0 4 0 0 − 3
0
0 0 0 − 4
1. Inverses of Diagonal Matrices
The inverse of a diagonal matrix is just the reciprocal of the elements on the
diagonal. If one of the diagonal entries is zero, then the inverse doesn’t exist.
1 0 0
− 1 / 3 0 0 1 / 2
Examples: 0 Inverse doesn’t exist.
0 1 / 4
0 0 − 1 / 3
2. Multiplying Diagonal Matrices
To multiply a diagonal matrix on the left, just multiply the corresponding
diagonal entry to each row of the matrix. To multiply a diagonal matrix on the
right, just multiply the corresponding diagonal entry to each column of the
matrix.
3 0 0 1 2 3 (3)1 (3)2 (3)3 3 6 9
Examples: 0 2 0
4 5 6 = (2)4 (2)5 (2)6 = 8 10 12
0 0 − 2 7 8 9 (−2)7 (−2)8 (−2)9 − 14 − 16 − 18
1 2 3 3 0 0 (3)1 (2)2 (−2)3 3 4 − 6
4 5 6 0 2 0 = (3)4 (2)5 (−2)6 = 12 10 − 12
7 8 9 0 0 − 2 (3)7 (2)8 (−2)9 21 16 − 18