Math 114 Lecture: The Inverse of a Matrix

Lecturer: Jose Maria L. Escaner IV, Ph.D.

Lecture 8

Definition 1 An n × n matrix A is said to be nonsingular (or invertible)if there exists an n × n matrix

B such that AB = BA = In . The matrix B is called the inverse of A is often denoted by A−1 . If no
such B exists, then A is said to be singular.
 3
− 18
  
2 1 8
Example: and 1 1 are inverses to each other.
−2 3 4 4

Remark: The inverse of a nonsingular matrix is unique. Indeed, suppose B and C are inverses of A.
Then BA = AC = I. However, B = BI = B(AC) = (BA)C = IC = C, and hence the uniqueness.

Theorem 1 Let (square) matrices A and B be nonsingular matrices of the same size. Then
1. A−1 and B −1 are nonsingular.

2. (A−1 )−1 = A.
3. AB is nonsingular and (AB)−1 = B −1 A−1 .
4. (AT )−1 = (A−1 )T .
 
2 3
Exercise: Find the inverse of A = .
1 1
 
a b
Solution: Let B = be the inverse of A. Then,
c d
      
2 3 a b 2a + 3c 2b + 3d 1 0
= = .
1 1 c d a+c b+d 0 1

This gives the following system of equations:

2a + 3c = 1
2b + 3d = 0
a+c = 0
b+d = 1

where one can easily get a = −1, b = 3, c = 1 and d = −2, or that

 
−1 3
A−1 = B = .
1 −2

It is possible to check whether a square matrix is nonsingular using the following theorem.

Theorem 2 An n × n matrix A is nonsingular if and only if it is row equivalent to the identity matrix
In .

1
Finding the inverse of a matrix using the reduced row echelon form

Suppose A is an n × n matrix. To find whether it has an inverse, transform the augmented matrix
[A|I] into [I|B] using the elementary row operations. If this is possible, then A is nonsingular and B is
the inverse of A; otherwise, A is singular.

Examples: Find the inverse of the following matrix by transforming the augmented matrix of the given
matrix and the appropriate identity matrix to its reduced row echelon form:
     
1 1 1 2 3 1 2 3
1.
3 4 3.  1 1 2  5.  1 1 2 
1 1 0 0 1 2
 
  3 1 2
1 3 4.  2 1 2 
2.
−2 6 1 2 2

Exercises:
 
2 3
1. Find A if A−1 =
1 4
 
1 1 0
2. For what values of a will the inverse of A =  1 1 0  exist? What is A−1 ?
1 2 a
 
4 0 0
3. If D =  0 −2 0 , find D−1 .
0 0 3
   
3 2 2 5
4. If A−1 = and B −1 = , find (AB)−1 .
1 3 3 −2