If a Matrix is the Product of Two Matrices, is it Invertible?
Problem 393
(a) Let $A$ be a $6\times 6$ matrix and suppose that $A$ can be written as
\[A=BC,\]
where $B$ is a $6\times 5$ matrix and $C$ is a $5\times 6$ matrix.
Prove that the matrix $A$ cannot be invertible.
(b) Let $A$ be a $2\times 2$ matrix and suppose that $A$ can be written as
\[A=BC,\]
where $B$ is a $ 2\times 3$ matrix and $C$ is a $3\times 2$ matrix.
(a) Prove that the matrix $A$ cannot be invertible.
Since $C$ is a $5 \times 6$ matrix, the equation
\[C\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{0}\]
has a nonzero solution $\mathbf{x}_1$.
(There are more variables than equations in the system $C\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{0}$.)
It follows that we have
\begin{align*}
A\mathbf{x}_1=BC\mathbf{x}_1=B\mathbf{0}=\mathbf{0}.
\end{align*}
Since the vector $\mathbf{x}_1$ is nonzero, the matrix $A$ is a singular matrix, hence $A$ is not invertible.
(b) Can the matrix $A$ be invertible?
The answer is yes. For example consider the following $2\times 3$ matrix $B$ and $3 \times 2$ matrix $C$:
\[B=\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 0 & 0 \\
0 &1 &0
\end{bmatrix}, \qquad C=\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 0 \\
0 & 1 \\
0 &0
\end{bmatrix}.\]
Then we have
\begin{align*}
A=BC=\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 0 & 0 \\
0 &1 &0
\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 0 \\
0 & 1 \\
0 &0
\end{bmatrix}
=
\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 0\\
0& 1
\end{bmatrix},
\end{align*}
and the matrix $A$ is invertible.
If $M, P$ are Nonsingular, then Exists a Matrix $N$ such that $MN=P$
Suppose that $M, P$ are two $n \times n$ non-singular matrix. Prove that there is a matrix $N$ such that $MN = P$.
Proof.
As non-singularity and invertibility are equivalent, we know that $M$ has the inverse matrix $M^{-1}$.
Let us think backwards. Suppose that […]
Are Coefficient Matrices of the Systems of Linear Equations Nonsingular?
(a) Suppose that a $3\times 3$ system of linear equations is inconsistent. Is the coefficient matrix of the system nonsingular?
(b) Suppose that a $3\times 3$ homogeneous system of linear equations has a solution $x_1=0, x_2=-3, x_3=5$. Is the coefficient matrix of the system […]
Find the Inverse Matrices if Matrices are Invertible by Elementary Row Operations
For each of the following $3\times 3$ matrices $A$, determine whether $A$ is invertible and find the inverse $A^{-1}$ if exists by computing the augmented matrix $[A|I]$, where $I$ is the $3\times 3$ identity matrix.
(a) $A=\begin{bmatrix}
1 & 3 & -2 \\
2 &3 &0 \\
[…]
Determine Conditions on Scalars so that the Set of Vectors is Linearly Dependent
Determine conditions on the scalars $a, b$ so that the following set $S$ of vectors is linearly dependent.
\begin{align*}
S=\{\mathbf{v}_1, \mathbf{v}_2, \mathbf{v}_3\},
\end{align*}
where
\[\mathbf{v}_1=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
3 \\
1
\end{bmatrix}, […]
If the Sum of Entries in Each Row of a Matrix is Zero, then the Matrix is Singular
Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ matrix. Suppose that the sum of elements in each row of $A$ is zero.
Then prove that the matrix $A$ is singular.
Definition.
An $n\times n$ matrix $A$ is said to be singular if there exists a nonzero vector $\mathbf{v}$ such that […]
Compute Determinant of a Matrix Using Linearly Independent Vectors
Let $A$ be a $3 \times 3$ matrix.
Let $\mathbf{x}, \mathbf{y}, \mathbf{z}$ are linearly independent $3$-dimensional vectors. Suppose that we have
\[A\mathbf{x}=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
0 \\
1
\end{bmatrix}, A\mathbf{y}=\begin{bmatrix}
0 \\
1 \\
0
[…]
Find Values of $h$ so that the Given Vectors are Linearly Independent
Find the value(s) of $h$ for which the following set of vectors
\[\left \{ \mathbf{v}_1=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
0 \\
0
\end{bmatrix}, \mathbf{v}_2=\begin{bmatrix}
h \\
1 \\
-h
\end{bmatrix}, \mathbf{v}_3=\begin{bmatrix}
1 \\
2h \\
3h+1
[…]
Conditions on Coefficients that a Matrix is Nonsingular
(a) Let $A=(a_{ij})$ be an $n\times n$ matrix. Suppose that the entries of the matrix $A$ satisfy the following relation.
\[|a_{ii}|>|a_{i1}|+\cdots +|a_{i\,i-1}|+|a_{i \, i+1}|+\cdots +|a_{in}|\]
for all $1 \leq i \leq n$.
Show that the matrix $A$ is nonsingular.
(b) Let […]