Identity and Inverse Matrices

The Identity Matrix

The identity matrix
[I] for multiplication
is a square matrix
with a 1 for every
element of the
principal diagonal
(top left to bottom
right) and a 0 in all
other positions.

Example: 3x3 Identity Matrix

1 0 0
0 1 0

0 0 1

Identity Matrix
A=

3 5
8 0

A I=A

3 5 1 0 3 5
8 0 0 1 8 0

Inverse Matrix
The product of a matrix and its inverse is the
identity matrix.
A-1 is the notation to designate the inverse of
a matrix.
A A-1 = I

Verify Inverse Matrices: Determine

whether the pair of matrices are inverses.

2
X
1

2 2
X Y

1
4

1
2

1
2

;Y

4
1

1
2
1

1
2
1

1
1

1 1
4

2 2

Since XYI, they are not inverses!

Find the inverse of the matrix.

3 1
P

5 2
Step 1: Find the determinant.

Step 2: Multiply

2 1
5 3

by

1
det

Find the inverse of the matrix.

2 2
X

1 4

Step 1: Find the determinant.

1 4

(2)(4) (2)(1) 8 2 10

Step 2: Change the matrix:

Step 3:

4 2
Multiply
1 2

by

4 2
1 2

1
1 4 2 .4 .2
.

det 10 1 2 .1 .2

Find the inverse of each matrix.

4 3
R

6
8
Step 1: Find the determinant of the matrix.

4 3
8

24 (24) 0

Since the determinant equals 0, R-1 does not exist.