→ Slide 1

Finding the inverse of an invertible $n\times n$ matrix

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The adjoint of a square matrix

Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ matrix. Recall that $C_{ij}$ is the $(i,j)$ cofactor of $A$. The matrix of cofactors of $A$ is the $n\times n$ matrix $C$ whose $(i,j)$ entry is $C_{ij}$.

The adjoint of $A$ is the $n\times n$ matrix $J=C^T$, the transpose of the matrix of cofactors.

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Theorem: key property of the adjoint of a square matrix

If $A$ is any $n\times n$ matrix and $J$ is its adjoint, then $AJ=(\det A)I_n=JA$.

Proof

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Corollary: a formula for the inverse of a square matrix

If $A$ is any $n\times n$ matrix with $\det(A)\ne 0$, then $A$ is invertible, and $A^{-1}=\frac1{\det A}J$ where $J$ is the adjoint of $A$.

Proof

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Example: $n=2$

If $A=\def\mat#1{\begin{bmatrix}#1\end{bmatrix}}\def\vm#1{\begin{vmatrix}#1\end{vmatrix}}\mat{a&b\\c&d}$, then $C=\mat{d&-c\\-b&a}$, so the adjoint of $A$ is $J=C^T=\mat{d&-b\\-c&a}$.

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Example: $n=3$

Find $J$, the adjoint of $\def\mat#1{\left[\begin{smallmatrix}#1\end{smallmatrix}\right]}A=\mat{3&1&0\\-2&-4&3\\5&4&-2}$, and compute $AJ$, $JA$, $\det(A)$ and $A^{-1}$.

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Example ($n=4$)

Let $A=\mat{1&0&0&0\\1&2&0&0\\1&2&3&0\\1&2&3&4}$.

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Example ($n=4$)

Let $A=\mat{1&0&0&0\\1&2&0&0\\1&2&3&0\\1&2&3&4}$.

→ Slide 9

A more efficient way to find $A^{-1}$

↓ Slide 10

Examples

\begin{align*} \ar{R2\to R2+2R1,\ R3\to R3-5R1} \go{1&-3&3\\0&-10&9\\0&19&-17}{1&1&0\\2&3&0\\-5&-5&1} \ar{R3\leftrightarrow R2} \go{1&-3&3\\0&19&-17\\0&-10&9}{1&1&0\\-5&-5&1\\2&3&0}\end{align*}

\begin{align*} \ar{R2\to R2+2R3} \go{1&-3&3\\0&-1&1\\0&-10&9}{1&1&0\\-1&1&1\\2&3&0} \ar{R1\to R1+3R2,\ R3\to R3-10R2} \go{1&0&0\\0&-1&1\\0&0&-1}{4&-2&3\\-1&1&1\\12&-7&-10}\end{align*}

\begin{align*} \ar{R2\to R2+R3} \go{1&0&0\\0&-1&0\\0&0&-1}{4&-2&3\\11&-6&-9\\12&-7&-10} \ar{R2\to -R2,\ R3\to -R3} \go{1&0&0\\0&1&0\\0&0&1}{4&-2&3\\-11&6&9\\-12&7&10}\end{align*}