Questions tagged [matrices]

For any topic related to matrices. This includes: systems of linear equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors (diagonalization, triangularization), determinant, trace, characteristic polynomial, adjugate and adjoint, transpose, Jordan normal form, matrix algorithms (e.g. LU, Gauss elimination, SVD, QR), invariant factors, quadratic forms, etc. For questions specifically concerning matrix equations, use the (matrix-equations) tag.

A matrix is a rectangular array of elements, usually numbers or variables, arranged in rows and columns. A matrix with $m$ rows and $n$ columns has $m \times n$ elements and is called an $m$ by $n$ matrix. Matrices are a part of .

Matrices can be added and subtracted. Furthermore, if they have compatible shapes, they can be multiplied. More precisely, given two matrices $A$ and $B$, the matrix $AB$ is defined when the number of columns of $A$ is equal to the number of rows of $B$. In particular, given a natural number $n$, any two matrices $A$ and $B$ with $n$ columns and $n$ rows can be multiplied in both ways (that is, both $AB$ and $BA$ exist).


For questions specifically concerning matrix equations, use the tag.

55954 questions
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Divergent Mercador Series of Matrix Logarithm

The logarithm of a matrix $$ \ln(I+A)=\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}{(-1)^{k+1}\over k}A^k$$ converges when ${\rho}(A)<1$ Suppose $n>{\rho}(A)>1$. Can one use the following transformation $$I+A=(1-n)I + nI + A = (1-n)I +n(I+{A\over n})$$ and…
giorgi
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Is there any upper bound $m$ of $n$ such that $A=0$ is equivalent to $Tr(A^n)=0$ for $n=1...m$?

Suppose I have a matrix $A=0$, hence I know $Tr(A^n)=0\forall n\ge1$, but is there some bound for $n$ such that $Tr(A^n)=0$ for $n=1...m$ is equivalent to $A=0$? For example, when $A$ is positive semidefinite matrix, $m=1$. When $A$ is hermitian…
narip
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Give a Skew-symmetric matrix such that $Qx=\alpha e_1$

Let $S$ is a Skew-symmetric matrix, then $Q=(I+S)(I-S)^{-1}$ is an orthogonal matrix. If $x\in\mathbb{R}^2$, please give a Skew-symmetric matrix such that $Qx=\alpha e_1$, where $\alpha$ is a constant, $e_1 = (1,0)^{\mathsf{T}}$. After the following…
Zeta
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Is any non symmetric matrix which is $M^*M =MM^*$?

We know $n\times n$ symmetric matrix has $n$ real eigenvalues, but I just wondering whether there are some non symmetric matrix which is $M^*M = MM^*$
bsdshell
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How to find the eigenvalues/eigenvectors of a non-triangular matrix?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Characteristic_polynomial#Characteristic_equation According to the above Wiki, the characteristic equation is very easy to solve if the matrix is a triangular matrix, or the $n$ is small. I want to know if there's any…
David S.
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how is the formula for determining the adjoint of a matrix derived?

I'm learning how to get the adjoint of a matrix using cofactors and the transpose, but how is this formula proven? When I try to google the proof for this, all I get is blog posts on how to get the adjoint of a matrix but not the proof of the…
Simon Suh
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Prove that if a product$ AB$ of $n\times n$ matrices is invertible, so are the factors $A$ and $B$.

I'm really struggling with "simple" proofs, and I could only come up with this. I googled for the solution and know how to do it now, but I first want to know if there's anything wrong with my solution? $$ (AB)^{-1}=B^{-1}*A^{-1}. $$ For this…
user85362
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Question: Expansion of algebra in matrices

I have a problem that I would like to check: Expand $(A+B)^3$ where $A$ and $B$ are matrices. Is this right? $$ A^3+A^2B+ABA+AB^2+BA^2+BAB+B^2A+B^3 $$ Thanks.
user85362
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matrix rearrangement that preserves row/column sum

I have the following symmetric matrix $$ \begin{pmatrix} 1 & 5 & 3 \\ 5 & 25 & 15 \\ 3 & 15 & 9 \\ \end{pmatrix} $$ whose rows and columns sum to 9, 45 and 27. I would like to transform this matrix such that the diagonal is zero, but the row and…
RedPen
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Bound on entries of L in A=LDL Cholesky factorization for diagonally dominant spd matrix A

I've been wondering about the following: Conjecture: If $A$ is a (strictly) diagonally dominant symmetric positive definite matrix, and $A=LDL^T$ is its square-root free Cholesky factorization, the $L_{ij}\leq 1$ for all $i,j$. This property clearly…
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Difference of two positive definite matrices

Let $A= a(i,j)$ and $B= b(i,j)$ be ($n\times n$) matrices that are positive definite such that $a(i,j) < b(i,j)$. Let $C= c(i,j)= b(i,j) - a(i,j)$, then $C$ is also positive definite. Why or why not?
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The dimension of the vector space of all trace-zero symmetric matrices

Find the dimension of the vector space of all symmetric matrices of order $n \times n$ (real entries) and trace equal to zero.
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How to solve simultaneous equations using Delta?

I can solve simultaneous equations using multiple methods, but came across this new procedure while revising for my exam. I've never seen anything like this before and can't find any explanations of it on the net, so I was wondering if someone could…
Kadin
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Matrices whose elements are matrices

I've worked with matrices whose elements are objects in a field, such that real numbers, complex numbers, inclusive functions in space of functions, but... Today I was talking to a friend and he asked me about something he saw in his PhD in…
Blacks
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If $B=P^{-1}JP$ then $B^k=P^{-1}J^kP$?

Let $B$ a matrix over $\mathbb{C}$ and $J$ be a jordan matrix for $B$. Then we have $B=P^{-1}JP$. How to prove that $B^k=P^{-1}J^kP$? Thanks.
Pedro
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