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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$\operatorname{Tr}(AB)=\operatorname{Tr}(A)\operatorname{Tr}(B)$

Problem. Show that $\operatorname{Tr}(AB)=\operatorname{Tr}(A)\operatorname{Tr}(B)$, if $A^2+3AB+B^2=BA$ and $\det(A)=0$, where all matrices involved is real valued $2\times2$ matrices. First I rewrote the $A^2+3AB+B^2=BA$ as $$ A(A+3B)=B(A-B)…
stefano
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Centralizers of Matrices

let $A$ be a complex matrix. Denote by $J(A)$ the Jordan Canonical Form of $A$. Let $C[J(A)]$ be the centralizer of $J(A)$ in $M_n(\mathbb C)$. Can we construct a real matrix $B$, that is, $B$ has only real entries, verifying the equality…
zacarias
  • 3,158
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The Matrix Equation $X^{2}=C$

Let matrix $C_{n\times‎n}$ and equation $X^{2}=C$ be given, i want to find matrix $X$. For $n=2$, $X$ is obtained by solving a system of equations; $$\left\{ \begin{array}{l} x_{11}^2 + {x_{12}}{x_{21}} = {c_{11}}\\ {x_{11}}{x_{12}} +…
M.Sina
  • 1,690
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Prove that this matrix equation has no roots if a matrix meets certain conditions

Could you explain to me how to solve matrix equations? Here is an example: Prove that: $$2X^2 + X = \begin{bmatrix} -1&5&3\\-2&1&2\\0&-4&-3\end{bmatrix}$$ has no solutions in $M(3,3;\mathbb{R})$, where $M(3,3;\mathbb{R})$ is the space of all…
Bilbo
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Vandermond matrix generalisation for non-integer degrees

For a $n \times n$ Vandermonde matrix $$V:=\begin{bmatrix}1 & c_1 & c_1^2 & \cdots & c_1^{n-1} \\ 1 & c_2 & c_2^2 & \cdots & c_2^{n-1} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots\\ 1 & c_n & c_n^2 & \cdots & c_n^{n-1}\end{bmatrix}$$ we know that…
Arastas
  • 2,329
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Why is the inverse matrix of $A^TA$ is guaranteed to exists?

For a matrix $A$ of an arbitrary size $n{\times}m$ where $n>m$ and $rank\left(A\right)=m$, there is no guarantee that the inverse matrix $A^{-1}$ will exist. But for the multiplication of the matrix with its transpose $A^T{\cdot}A$ the inverse…
SIMEL
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Is it possible to exist a "three-dimensional matrix"?

We all have seen matrices that are "bi-dimensional" (i'm using the quotes here because i'm not talking about the number of lines, but about the way you represent a matrix, as a rectangle). I was wondering if we can define a space where we have…
embedded_dev
  • 1,261
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What is the bandwidth of a matrix?

I was solving a problem which involved finding the bandwidth of a matrix. I interpreted the bandwidth as a non-negative number which is closest to the diagonal. And this interpretation of mine does work on some examples. However, the condition…
Aniket
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Can any 2x2 matrix be written like sum of two squared matrices?

How to prove that for any $A$ is a $2\times2$ matrix with real elements exist $B$ and $C$ so that $A=B^2+C^2$? So far, I used Cayley-Hamilton theorem and I have: $A =$ $\frac{1}{Tr(A)}A^2 + \frac{det(A)}{Tr(A)}I_n$. I know that I need a positive…
Ioanah
  • 169
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Olympiad linear algebra problem

This is a problem from an olympiad I took today. I tried but couldn't solve it. Let $A$ and $B$ rectangular matrices with real entries, of dimensions $k\times n$ and $m\times n$ respectively. Prove that if for every $n\times l$ matrix $X$ ($l\in…
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Show that invertible matrices with an additional condition are diagonalizable.

Let $A$ and $B$ be invertible $2 \times 2$ matrices such that $AB = -BA$ over the complex numbers. Show that $A$ and $B$ are diagonalizable.
MeryT
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How do I prove that in every commuting family there is a common eigenvector?

The proof given by my textbook is highly non-satisfying. The author adopted some magic-like "reductio ad absurdum" and the proof (although is correct) didn't reveal the nature of this problem. I made my own effort into it and tried a different…
xzhu
  • 4,193
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If $A$ is a square matrix such that $A^{27}=A^{64}=I$ then $A=I$

If $A$ is a square matrix such that $A^{27}=A^{64}=I$ then $A=I$. What I did is to subtract I from both sides of the equation: $$A^{27}-I=A^{64}-I=0$$ then: \begin{align*} A^{27}-I &= (A-I)(A+A^2+A^3+\dots+A^{26})=0\\ A^{64}-I &=…
Ami Gold
  • 1,130
6
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Fast multiplication of orthogonal matrices

Given $A,B\in SO(3)$, direct matrix multiplication computes $C=AB$ with 27 multiplies. The group $SO(3)$ is a $3$-dimensional manifold. This suggests that direct matrix multiplication, which thinks of elements of $SO(3)$ as 9-dimensional, is not…
user782220
  • 3,195
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Proof of 2 Matrix identities (Traces, Logs, Determinants)

I am working through a derivation in someone's thesis at the moment to understand an important result, but I am more than a bit rusty on matrices. Could anyone give me some tips on these identities? They are stated without proof and I'm having a…
Josh
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