Matrices

Matrices are used in a wide range of fields and applications to represent and manipulate data in a structured way. The links on this page lead to useful resources for students who are starting out with matrices and also those who would like to add to their existing knowledge.

• M1 Matrices: Introduction
  This module discusses matrices, their order, row and column matrices, square matrices and the identity matrix.
• M2 Addition and subtraction of matrices
  Matrices of the same shape (same number of rows and columns) may be added/subtracted by adding/subtracting the corresponding elements.
• M3 Matrix multiplication
  To multiply two matrices A and B, the number of columns in A must equal the number of rows in B.
• M4 Determinant of a matrix
  The determinant of a matrix can only be calculated for a square matrix and is used in many aspects of mathematics/engineering/physics.
• M5 Special matrices
  It is helpful to understand the definition of a number of different types of “special” matrices.
• M6 Systems of equations
  Systems of linear equations may be solved using elementary row operations. This is sometimes called Gaussian elimination.
• M7 Types of solutions
  Systems of linear equations can have infinitely many solutions, no solution, or a unique solution.
• M8 Inverse of a 2x2 matrix
  There is no division operation in matrix algebra. However, there is multiplication by the inverse.
• M9 Inverse of a 3x3 matrix
• M10 Eigenvalues and eigenvectors
  Eigenvalues and eigenvectors are used to understand how buildings, structures and automobiles react in real life. They also provide insights into many mathematical areas.