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Precalculus
Matrices
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1. Matrices: representing data, adding and multiplying by a scalar
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
A table has 2 rows and 3 columns of numbers. How many numbers does it hold?
6
5
Key idea
A matrix is a rectangular table of numbers.
An m×n matrix has m rows and n columns; the entry in row i, column j is aij. Matrices of the same size add and subtract entry by entry, and a scalar k multiplies every entry: 3(102−1)=(306−3).
Worked example
Add (1324) and (5−102).
1 + 5, 2 + 0, 3 + (−1), 4 + 2
Same positions.
(6226)
Result.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: the top-left entry of 4(2013).
8
4 · 2.
Practice ★
Let A = (37−35) and B = (−4−5−45). What is the entry in row 1, column 2 of A + B?
Let A = (2671) and B = (55−55). What is the entry in row 1, column 2 of A + B?
A shop records sales in a matrix with one row for each of its 4 stores and one column for each of 7 days. What are the dimensions of the matrix?
4 × 7
7 × 4
28 × 1
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Let A = (2602). What is the entry in row 2, column 1 of 3A?
Let A = (8−12−3). What is the entry in row 2, column 1 of 3A?
Let A = (37−35) and B = (−4−5−45). What is the entry in row 1, column 2 of A + B?
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Let A = (37−35) and B = (−4−5−45). What is the entry in row 1, column 2 of A + B?
Let A = (2671) and B = (55−55). What is the entry in row 1, column 2 of A + B?
Let A = (4168) and B = (7529). What is the entry in row 1, column 2 of A + B?
Summary card
Matrices
Size is rows × columns; add entry by entry; a scalar multiplies every entry.
Watch out: rows first.
2. Multiplying matrices and its properties
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
To multiply a row (2, 3) by a column (4, 5), you compute 2 · 4 + 3 · 5. What is it?
23
(8, 15)
Key idea
Each entry of AB is a row of A times a column of B.
If A is m×n and B is n×p, then AB is m×p: the entry in row i, column j is row i of A times column j of B (multiply pairs, then add). The inner sizes must match. Matrix multiplication is associative and distributes over addition, but in general AB=BA.
Worked example
Compute the top-left entry of (1324)(5768).
(1, 2) and (5, 7)
Row 1 of A, column 1 of B.
1 · 5 + 2 · 7 = 19
Multiply and add.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: the top-right entry of the same product.
22
1 · 6 + 2 · 8.
Practice ★
Let A = (432−2) and B = (7594). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of AB?
Let A = (−25−4−4) and B = (4−57−1). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of AB?
A is a 2 × 5 matrix and B is a 5 × 8 matrix. What are the dimensions of AB?
2 × 8
5 × 5
AB is not defined
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Let A = (8884) and B = (2332). What is the entry in row 2, column 1 of AB?
Let A = (128−2) and B = (25−56). What is the entry in row 2, column 1 of AB?
Boss problem. A stand sells pens and notebooks. The sales matrix S = (9357) has rows Monday, Tuesday and columns pens, notebooks. The price vector is p = (36) (dollars). The product Sp gives each day's income.
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Let A = (432−2) and B = (7594). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of AB?
Let A = (−25−4−4) and B = (4−57−1). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of AB?
Let A = (5084) and B = (4−213). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of AB?
Summary card
Multiplying matrices
(m × n)(n × p) = m × p; entry = row · column.
Watch out: AB is usually not BA.
3. Identity, determinant and inverse of a 2 × 2 matrix
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
The number 5 has the inverse 1/5 because 5 · 1/5 = 1. Which number has no inverse?
0
1
Key idea
A 2 × 2 matrix has an inverse exactly when its determinant is not 0.
The identityI=(1001) plays the role of 1 (AI=IA=A) and the zero matrix the role of 0. For A=(acbd), detA=ad−bc. If detA=0, A−1=ad−bc1(d−c−ba) and AA−1=I; if detA=0, A has no inverse.
Worked example
Invert (4276).
4 · 6 − 7 · 2 = 10
Determinant.
(6−2−74)
Swap and change signs.
(0.6−0.2−0.70.4)
Divide by 10.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: det (3512).
1
3 · 2 − 1 · 5.
Practice ★
What is the determinant of (−28−54)?
What is the determinant of (7534)?
For which value of k does (k1032) have no inverse?
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Let A = (5138). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of the inverse of A?
Let A = (−5724). What is the entry in row 1, column 1 of the inverse of A?
What is the determinant of (−28−54)?
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
What is the determinant of (−28−54)?
What is the determinant of (7534)?
What is the determinant of (7387)?
Summary card
Determinants and inverses
det = ad − bc; inverse = (1/det)(d, −b; −c, a) when det ≠ 0.
Watch out: the inverse is not the matrix of reciprocals.
4. Matrices as transformations: matrix times vector, determinant and area
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
Doubling both coordinates of every point of a square with area 1 gives a square with area…
4
2
Key idea
A matrix moves vectors; its determinant scales areas.
Multiplying a column vector by a matrix gives a new vector: (acbd)(xy)=(ax+bycx+dy). So a 2×2 matrix is a transformation of the plane; its columns are the images of (1,0) and (0,1). Areas are multiplied by ∣detA∣.
Worked example
Apply (01−10) to (3, 0) and (0, 3).
(0 · 3 − 1 · 0, 1 · 3 + 0) = (0, 3)
First point.
(−3, 0)
Second point.
a 90° counterclockwise rotation; det = 1, areas unchanged
Conclusion.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: the area scale factor of (3002).
6
det = 3 · 2.
Practice ★
Let A = (9326). What is the first component of A(−3−1)?
Let A = (−1−55−5). What is the first component of A(3−2)?
The matrix (01−10) maps the point (8, 0) to (0, 8) and (0, 8) to (−8, 0). Which transformation does it represent?
A rotation of 90° counterclockwise about the origin
A reflection in the line y = x
A rotation of 90° clockwise about the origin
Watch out!
Practice ★★
A shape with an area of 2 square units is transformed by the matrix (2223). What is the area of the image?
A shape with an area of 8 square units is transformed by the matrix (2123). What is the area of the image?
Let A = (9326). What is the first component of A(−3−1)?
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Let A = (9326). What is the first component of A(−3−1)?
Let A = (−1−55−5). What is the first component of A(3−2)?
Let A = (7−2−17). What is the first component of A(61)?
Summary card
Matrices as transformations
Av moves vectors; columns are the images of (1, 0) and (0, 1); areas scale by |det|.
Watch out: the area factor is the determinant, not a sum of entries.
5. Solving systems of linear equations with matrices
Warm-up
Three quick questions from earlier lessons.
Discover
To solve 5x = 20 you multiply both sides by 1/5. What does that give?
x = 4
x = 100
Key idea
A system is one matrix equation AX = B; X = A⁻¹B.
Write the coefficients as a matrix A (one row per equation), the unknowns as X=(xy) and the constants as B: then AX=B. If detA=0, X=A−1B, the only solution.
Worked example
Solve 2x + y = 5, x + y = 3.
A=(2111), det = 1
Matrix.
A−1=(1−1−12)
Inverse.
x = 5 − 3 = 2, y = −5 + 6 = 1
Multiply.
Your turn, guided
Your turn: in that system, what is det A?
1
2 · 1 − 1 · 1.
Practice ★
Which matrix equation represents the system 4x + 5y = 18 and 4x + 2y = 35?
(4452)(xy) = (1835)
(4542)(xy) = (1835)
(4452)(1835) = (xy)
Which matrix equation represents the system 9x + 9y = 13 and 2x + 4y = 10?
(9294)(xy) = (1310)
(9924)(xy) = (1310)
(9294)(1310) = (xy)
Solve the system 4x + 4y = 0 and 3x + 1y = 10 by multiplying by the inverse of the coefficient matrix. What is x?
Watch out!
Practice ★★
Solve the system 4x + 4y = 0 and 3x + 1y = 10 by multiplying by the inverse of the coefficient matrix. What is x?
Solve the system 4x + 1y = 20 and 1x + 1y = 5 by multiplying by the inverse of the coefficient matrix. What is x?
Which matrix equation represents the system 4x + 5y = 18 and 4x + 2y = 35?
(4452)(xy) = (1835)
(4542)(xy) = (1835)
(4452)(1835) = (xy)
Exit ticket
Three questions to check you have got it.
Which matrix equation represents the system 4x + 5y = 18 and 4x + 2y = 35?
(4452)(xy) = (1835)
(4542)(xy) = (1835)
(4452)(1835) = (xy)
Which matrix equation represents the system 9x + 9y = 13 and 2x + 4y = 10?
(9294)(xy) = (1310)
(9924)(xy) = (1310)
(9294)(1310) = (xy)
Which matrix equation represents the system 6x + 2y = 32 and 6x + 4y = 39?
(6624)(xy) = (3239)
(6264)(xy) = (3239)
(6624)(3239) = (xy)
Summary card
Systems with matrices
AX = B, so X = A⁻¹B when det A ≠ 0.
Watch out: one row per equation; multiply by A⁻¹ on the left.
Answers: Matrices
1. Matrices: representing data, adding and multiplying by a scalar
A
−7
2
B
4 × 7
C
18
−3
D
−7
E
−7
2
8
2. Multiplying matrices and its properties
A
38
12
B
2 × 8
C
28
−6
D
114
E
38
12
4
3. Identity, determinant and inverse of a 2 × 2 matrix
A
32
13
B
15
C
378
−172
D
32
E
32
13
25
4. Matrices as transformations: matrix times vector, determinant and area
A
−29
−13
B
A rotation of 90° counterclockwise about the origin
C
4
32
D
−29
E
−29
−13
41
5. Solving systems of linear equations with matrices