Diagonal Matrices, Upper and Lower Triangular Matrices

Linear Algebra
MATH 2010

• Diagonal Matrices:
– Definition: A diagonal matrix is a square matrix with zero entries except possibly on the main
diagonal (extends from the upper left corner to the lower right corner).
– Examples: The following are examples, of diagonal matrices:
 1 
 
2 0 0 0
1 0 0  0 3 0 0 
 0 1 0   
 0 0 0 0 
0 0 1
0 0 0 4
– In general, a diagonal matrix is given by
 
d1 0 ... ... 0
 0 d2 0 ... 0 
 
 .. 
A=  0 ... . ... 0 

.
. . . ..
 
 0 ... 0 
0 ... ... ... dk
– Notation: A lot of the time, a diagonal matrix is referenced with a capital D (for diagonal).
– Powers: If D is a diagonal matrix, then Dn for n > 0 is given by
 n 
d1 0 ... ... 0
 0 dn2 0 ... 0 
 
..
Dn = 
 
 0 . . . . . . . 0 

 0 . . . . . . ..
 . 
0 
0 . . . . . . . . . dnk
– Inverses: A diagonal matrix D is invertible if and only if all the diagonal elements are nonzero.
In this case, D−1 is given by
 1
0 ... ... 0

d1
 0 d1 0 ... 0 
 2 
−1
 . . 
D =  0 ...
 . ... 0 

 0 . . . . . . ...
 
0 
1
0 ... ... ... dk

– Example: Let
1
 
2 0 0 0
 0 3 0 0 
D=
 0

0 5 0 
0 0 0 −1
Then
( 12 )3
   1 
0 0 0 8 0 0 0
0 33 0 0   0 27 0 0 
D3 = 

 =  
 0 0 53 0   0 0 125 0 
0 0 0 (−1)3 0 0 0 −1
and  
2 0 0 0
 0 1
0 0 
D−1 =
 0
3
1

0 5 0 
0 0 0 −1
• Upper and Lower Triangular Matrices:

– Definition: An upper triangular matrix is a square matrix in which all entries below the main
diagonal are zero (only nonzero entries are found above the main diagonal - in the upper triangle).
A lower triangular matrix is a square matrix in which all entries above the main diagonal are zero
(only nonzero entries are found below the main diagonal - in the lower triangle). See the picture
below.

– Notation: An upper triangular matrix is typically denoted with U and a lower triangular matrix
is typically denoted with L.
– Properties:
 T
U =L
1.
LT = U
If you transpose an upper (lower) triangular matrix, you get a lower (upper) triangular matrix.

L1 L2 = L
2.
U1 U2 = U
The product of two lower (upper) triangular matrices if lower (upper) triangular.
3. A triangular matrix is invertible if and only if all diagonal entries are nonzero.
 
1 −5 3 4  
 0 −2 1 0  4 0 0
  is NOT invertible, and  1 3 0  IS invertible.
 0 0 0 5 
0 2 1
0 0 0 1