Matrices Problem Class Page 1 of 1
Matrices Problem Class
1. Let
1 3 −5 1 −2 0
A = 0 2 4 and B = 0 1 −1
0 0 3 0 0 −2
Calculate AB and BA. What do you notice about these matrices? Form a
conjecture about the multiplication of two upper triangular matrices. Can you
prove it?
Now calculate the inverse B−1 . Is it always true that the inverse of an upper
triangular matrix is upper triangular?
2. Suppose that A and B are symmetric matrices, is it true that AB is symmetric?
If so then prove it. If not, then find a counterexample: i.e. a find a pair of
symmetric matrices A, B such that AB is not symmetric.
3. Suppose that P is an orthogonal matrix (meaning that Pt P = PPt = I) and that
A is a symmetric matrix. Prove that P−1 AP is symmetric.
4. A permutation matrix S is a square matrix, such that each row and each
column contains exactly one 1, with the remaining entries 0. For example
0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 0
T= 0 0 0 0 1
1 0 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 0
is a permutation matrix. Calculate det( T ).
Prove that for any permutation matrix S, det(S) = ±1.
[Hint: Two possible approaches, 1) reorder the rows or columns, or 2) show
that S is orthogonal.]
Mathematics - Dr James Griffin, November 24, 2015 exercises-7-matrices.tex