Matrix Inverses and 3x3 Determinants

This page delves deeper into matrix inverses and extends the concept of determinants to 3x3 matrices. It begins with a proof demonstrating that for non-singular matrices P and Q, (PQ)⁻¹ = Q⁻¹P⁻¹.

Highlight: The proof uses the properties of matrix multiplication and the definition of inverse matrices to show the relationship between the inverse of a product and the product of inverses.

The page then introduces the calculation of determinants for 3x3 matrices using the following formula:

Definition: For a 3x3 matrix M = [a b c; d e f; g h i], det(M) = a(ei-fh) - b(di-fg) + c(dh-eg)

The process of finding the inverse of a 3x3 matrix is explained, involving the following steps:

1. Calculate the determinant
2. Find the matrix of minors
3. Convert to the matrix of cofactors
4. Transpose the cofactor matrix
5. Divide by the determinant

Example: The inverse of a 3x3 matrix A is given by A⁻¹ = (1/det(A)) * CT, where C is the cofactor matrix and CT is its transpose.

The page also introduces the concept of using matrix inverses to solve systems of equations, particularly for 3x3 systems.

Vocabulary: Cofactors are the signed minors of a matrix, used in calculating the inverse.

Matrix Operations and Applications

This page introduces fundamental concepts of matrix operations and their properties. It covers various types of matrices and basic operations such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication.

Definition: A zero matrix is a matrix where all elements are zero.

Definition: An identity matrix is a square matrix with ones on the main diagonal and zeros elsewhere.

The page explains how to multiply matrices, emphasizing that matrix multiplication is only possible when the number of columns in the first matrix equals the number of rows in the second matrix.

Highlight: Matrix multiplication is not commutative, meaning AB ≠ BA in general.

Multiplying matrices 2x2 is demonstrated with examples, and the concept of determinants is introduced for 2x2 matrices.

Example: For a 2x2 matrix, the determinant is calculated as det(M) = ad - bc, where M = [a b; c d].

The page also touches on the concepts of singular and non-singular matrices, which are important for understanding matrix invertibility.

Vocabulary: A matrix is singular if its determinant is zero, and non-singular if its determinant is non-zero.

Finally, the page introduces the concept of matrix inverses, noting that for non-singular matrices A and B, (AB)⁻¹ = B⁻¹A⁻¹.