Lesson Name: Adjoint of a Matrix and Inverse of a Matrix

URL: https://byjus.com/jee/adjoint-and-inverse-of-a-matrix/
Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix
The adjoint of a matrix (also called the adjugate of a matrix) is de ned as the transpose of the cofactor
matrix of that particular matrix. For a matrix A, the adjoint is denoted as adj (A). On the other hand, the
inverse of a matrix A is that matrix which when multiplied by the matrix A give an identity matrix. The
inverse of a Matrix A is denoted by A-1.

Table of Contents in Matrices

Introduction to Matrices (https://byjus.com/jee/matrices/)
Types of Matrices (https://byjus.com/jee/types-of-matrices/)
Matrix Operations (https://byjus.com/jee/matrix-operations/)
Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix
Rank of a Matrix and Special Matrices (https://byjus.com/jee/rank-of-a-matrix-and-special-
matrices/)
Solving Linear Equations using Matrix (https://byjus.com/jee/solving-linear-equations-using-matrix/)

Adjoint of a Matrix
Let the determinant of a square matrix A be
|A|

⎡ a11 a12 a13 ⎤ ∣ a11 a12 a13 ∣

∣ ∣
IfA = ⎢a ⎥ T hen |A| =
21 a22 a23 ∣ a21 a22 a23 ∣
⎣ ⎦ ∣ ∣
a
31 a32 a33 a31 a32 a33
⎡ A11 A12 A13 ⎤
The matrix formed by the cofactors of the elements in is ⎢A21 A22 A23 ⎥
⎣ ⎦
A31 A32 A33

1+1 ∣ a22 a23 ∣

Where A11 = (−1) ∣ ∣ = a22a33 − a23 a32
∣ ∣
a32 a33

a21 a23 ∣ 1+3 ∣ a21 a22 ∣

A12 = (−1)1+2 ∣
∣ ∣ = −a21 a33 + a23 a31; A13 = ( − 1 ) ∣ ∣ = a21a32 − a22a31;
∣ a31 a3∣ ∣ a31 a32 ∣

∣ ∣
A21 = (−1)2+1 ∣ a12 a13 2+2 a11 a13 ∣
∣ ∣ = −a12a33 + a13 a32; A22 = ( − 1 ) ∣ ∣ = a11a33 − a13 a31;
∣ ∣ ∣
a32 a33 a31 a33
a11 a12 ∣ 3+1 ∣ a12 a13 ∣
A23 = (−1)2+3 ∣∣ ∣ = −a11a32 + a12 a31; A31 = ( − 1 ) ∣ ∣ = a12a23 − a13 a22;
∣ a31 a32 ∣ ∣ a22
a23 ∣
a11 a13 ∣ 3+3 ∣ a11
a12 ∣
A32 = (−1)3+2 ∣∣ ∣ = −a11a23 + a13 a21; A33 = (−1) ∣ ∣ = a11a22 − a12 a21;
∣ a21 a23 ∣ ∣ a21 a22 ∣

Then the transpose of the matrix of co-factors is called the adjoint of the matrix A and is written as

⎡ A11 A21 A31 ⎤

adj A. adj A = ⎢ A12 A22 A32 ⎥
⎣ ⎦
A13 A23 A33

The product of a matrix A and its adjoint is equal to unit matrix multiplied by the determinant A.

Let A be a square matrix, then (Adjoint A). A = A. (Adjoint A) = | A |. I

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 Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix With Their Relation, Properties, Examples

a12 a13 ⎤ A11 A21 A31 ⎤

⎡ a11 ⎡
Let A = ⎢a21 ⎥ and adj A = ⎢A12 A ⎥
a22 a23
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
A 32

22
a31 a32 a33 A13 A23 A33

a12 a13 ⎤ A21 A31 ⎤

⎡ a11 ⎡A11
A. (adj. A) = ⎢a ⎥ × ⎢A A A ⎥
21 a22 a23 12 22 32
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
a31 a32 a33 A13 A23 A33

+ a13A13 a11A21 + a12A22 + a13A23 a11A31 + a12A32 + a13A33 ⎤

⎡ a11A11 + a12A12
= ⎢a A + + a A + + a A + + ⎥
21 11 a22A12 a23A13 21 21 21 31 a22A32 a23A33
⎣ a22A22 a23A23 ⎦
a31A11 + a32A12 + a33A13 a31A21 a31A31 + a32A32 + a33A33
+ a32A22 + a33A23
|A| 0 0 1 0 0
⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
=⎢ 0 |A| 0 ⎥ = | A | ⎢0 1 0 ⎥ = |A| I .
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
0 0 |A| 0 0 1

Video Lesson on Finding the Inverse and Adjoint of a Matrix

Example Problems on How to Find the Adjoint of a Matrix

Example 1: If A= -A then x + y is equal to

(a) 2 (b) -1 (c) 0 (d) 12

Solution:

(c) A = -A; A is skew-symmetric matrix; diagonal elements of A are zeros

x = 0 , y = 0 ∴x + y = 0

Example 2: If A and B are two skew-symmetric matrices of order n, then,

(a) AB is a skew-symmetric matrix (b) AB is a symmetric matrix

(c) AB is a symmetric matrix if A and B commute (d)None of these

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 Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix With Their Relation, Properties, Examples

Solution:

(c) We are given A’ = -A and B’ = -B;

Now, (AB)’ = B’A’ = (-B) (-A) = BA = AB, if A and B commute.

Example 3: Let A and B be two matrices such that AB’ + BA’ = O. If A is skew symmetric ,then BA

(a) Symmetric (b) Skew symmetric (c) Invertible (d) None of these

Solution:

(c) we have, (BA)’ = A’B’ = -AB’ [ A is skew symmetric]; = BA’ = B(-A) = -BA BA is skew symmetric.

1 2 3
⎡ ⎤
Example 4: Let A = ⎢1 3 4 ⎥,
⎣ ⎦
1 4 3

then the co-factors of elements of A are given by -

Solution:

Co-factors of the elements of any matrix are obtain by eliminating all the elements of the same row and
column and calculating the determinant of the remaining elements.

∣3 4∣
A11 = ∣ ∣ = 3 × 3 − 4 × 4 = −7
∣4 3∣

∣ 1 4∣ ∣1 3∣ ∣2 3∣ ∣1 3∣
A12 = − ∣ ∣ = 1, A13 = ∣ ∣ = 1; A21 = − ∣ ∣ = 6, A22 = ∣ ∣ = 0
∣ 1 3∣ ∣1 4∣ ∣4 3∣ ∣1 3∣

∣1 2∣ ∣ 2 3∣ ∣ 1 3∣ ∣1 2∣
A23 = − ∣ ∣ = −2, A31 = ∣ ∣ = −1; A32 = − ∣ ∣ = −1, A33 = ∣ ∣ = 1
∣1 4∣ ∣ 3 4∣ ∣ 1 4∣ ∣1 3∣

∣ −7 6 −1 ∣
∣
∣
∴ Adj A = 1 0 −1
∣ ∣
∣ 1 −2 1 ∣

Example 5: Which of the following statements are false -

(a) If | A | = 0, then | adj A | = 0;

(b) Adjoint of a diagonal matrix of order 3 × 3 is a diagonal matrix;

(c) Product of two upper triangular matrices is an upper triangular matrix;

(d) adj (AB) = adj (A) adj (B);

Solution:

(d) We have, adj (AB) = adj (B) adj (A) and not adj (AB) = adj (A) adj (B)

Inverse of a Matrix
If A and B are two square matrices of the same order, such that AB = BA = I (I = unit matrix)

Then B is called the inverse of A, i.e. B = A-1 and A is the inverse of B. Condition for a square matrix A to
possess an inverse is that the matrix A is non-singular, i.e., | A | ≠ 0. If A is a square matrix and B is its
inverse then AB = I. Taking determinant of both sides | AB | = | I | or | A | | B | = I. From this relation it is clear
that | A | ≠ 0, i.e. the matrix A is non-singular.

How to nd the inverse of a matrix by using the adjoint matrix?

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 Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix With Their Relation, Properties, Examples

We know that, A. (Adj A) = |A| I or A.(Adj A)

= I (Pro vided |A| ≠ 0)
|A|
−1 −1 1
And A. A = I; A = ( Adj . A)
|A|

Properties of Inverse and Adjoint of a Matrix

Property 1: For a square matrix A of order n, A adj(A) = adj(A) A = |A|I, where I is the identitiy matrix
of order n.
Property 2: A square matrix A is invertible if and only if A is a non-singular matrix.

Problems on Finding the Inverse of a Matrix

1 0 −1
⎡ ⎤
Illustration 1: Let A =
⎢3 4 5 ⎥ What is inverse of A ?
⎣ ⎦
0 −6 −7

Solution:
adj A
-1 = we can obtain the value of A−1
By using the formula A |A|

4 5 3 5
We have A11 = [ ] = 2 A12 = −[ ] = 21
−6 −7 0 −7

And similarly A13 = −18, A31 = 4, A32 = − 8 , A33 = 4, A21 = + 6 , A22 = − 7 , A23 = 6

2 6 4
⎡ ⎤
adj A = ⎢ 21 −7 −8 ⎥
⎣ ⎦
−18 6 4

∣ 1 0 −1∣
∣ ∣
Also |A| = 3 4 5 = {4 × (−7 ) − (−6 ) × 5 − 3 × (−6 )}
∣ ∣
∣0 −6 −7 ∣

2 6 4
−1 adj A ⎡ ⎤
=-28+30+18=20 A = = 1 ⎢ 21 −7 −8 ⎥
|A| 20
⎣ ⎦
−18 6 4

1 1 3 2
Illustration 2: If the product of a matrix A and [ ] i s t h e ma t r i x [ ],
2 0 1 1

then A-1 is given by:

0 −1 0 −1 0 1
(a ) [ ] (b) [ ] (c) [ ]
2 −4 −2 −4 2 −4

(d) None of these

Solution:
−1 −1
(a) We know if AB = C, then B−1 A−1 = C ⇒A = BC−1 by using this formula we will get value
of A-1in the above problem.

Here,
−1
1 1 3 2 −1
1 1 3 2 1 1 1 −2 0 1
A[ ] = [ ]⇒ A = [ ] [ ] = [ ][ ] = [ ]
2 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 2 0 −1 3 2 −4

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 Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix With Their Relation, Properties, Examples

Illustration
3: Let
2 1 −1 1
2 5

A = ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
− −1
⎢0 1 0 ⎥ and B = ⎢ 2 3 1⎥ . Prove that (AB)−1 = B 1A
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
1 3 −1 −1 1 1

Solution:
−1 −1 adj AB
By obtaining | AB | and adj AB we can obtain (AB) by using the formula (AB) = Similarly
|AB|
we can also obtain the values of B -1 and A-1 Then by multiplying B-1 and A-1 we can prove the given
problem.
Here,
2 1 −1 1 2 5 2+2+1 4 + 3 − 1 10 + 1 − 1 5 6 10
⎡ ⎤⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
A B = ⎢0 1 0 ⎥⎢ 2 3 1⎥ = ⎢0 + 2 + 0 0 + 3 + 0 0 + 1 + 0 ⎥ = ⎢2 3 1 ⎥
⎣ ⎦⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
1 3 −1 −1 1 1 1 + 6 + 1 2 + 9 − 1 5 + 3 − 1 8 10 7

Now,
∣5 6 10 ∣
∣ ∣
|AB| = 2 3 1 = 5 (21 − 10) − 6 (14 − 8) + 10 (20 − 24) = 55 − 36 − 40 = −2 1 .
∣ ∣
∣8 10 7∣

The matrix of cofactors of | AB | is =

⎡ 3 (7) − 1 (10) − {2 (7) − 8 (1)} a2 (10) − 3 (8) ⎤ ⎡ 11 −6 −4 ⎤

⎢ − {6 (7) − 10 (10)} 5 (7) − 8 (10) − {5 (10) − 6 (8)} ⎥ = ⎢ 58 −45 −2 ⎥

⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
6 (1) − 10 (3) − {5 (1) − 2 (10)} 5 (3) − 6 (2) −24 15 3

11 58 −24 11 58 −24
⎡ ⎤ adj AB −1 ⎡ ⎤
adj AB = ⎢ −6 −45 15 ⎥ S o, (AB)
−1
=
=
21 ⎢ −6 −45 15 ⎥
|AB|
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
−4 −2 3 −4 −2 3

∣ 1 2 5∣
∣ ∣
Next, | B | = 2 3 1 = 1 (3 − 1) − 2 (2 + 1) + 5 (2 + 3) = 21
∣ ∣
∣ −1 1 1∣

2 3 −13 1 −1
2
∴ ⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
−1 adj B 1
B = ⎢ −3 6 9 ⎥; | A | = ⎢0 1 0 ⎥ = 1 (−2 + 1 ) = − 1
|B| 21
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
5 −3 −1 1 3 −1

−1 −2 1
⎡ ⎤
−1 adj A 1
∴ A = = −1 ⎢ 0 −1 0⎥
|A| ⎣ ⎦
−1 −5 2

2 3 −13 −2 1
⎡ −1
1 ⎤⎡ ⎤
∴ B−1 A−1 = − ⎢−3 6 9 ⎥⎢ 0 −1 0⎥
21 ⎣ ⎦⎣ ⎦
5 −3 −1 −1 −5 2

11 58 −24

= − ⎡ ⎤
1 − −1
⎢ −6 −45 15 ⎥ T hus, (AB)−1 = B 1A
21
⎣ ⎦
−4 −2 3

0 2y z
⎡ ⎤
′ −
Illustration 4: If A = ⎢x −z ⎥ satisf ies A
y = A 1,
⎣ ⎦
x −y
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 Adjoint and Inverse of a Matrix With Their Relation, Properties, Examples

then
– - -
(a)x = ±1/√6, y = ±1/√6, z = ±1/√3 - - -
(b)x = ±1/√2, y = ±1/√6, z = ±1/√3
– - -
(c)x = ±1/√6, y = ±1/√ 2, z = ±1/√3 - -
(d)x = ±1/√2, y = ±1/3, z = ±1/√2
Solution:
−1
′
(b) Given that A ′ = A −1 and we know that AA = I and therefore AA = I. Using the multiplication
method we can obtain values of x, y and z.
−1
A′= A ⇔AA′ = 1

Now,
2 2 2
⎡ 0 2y z 0 x x 4y + z2 2y − z2 −2 y + z
⎤⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
AA′= ⎢x y − z ⎥ ⎢ 2y y −y ⎥= ⎢ 2y2 − z 2 x2+ y2 + z2 x 2 − y2 − z2 ⎥
⎣ ⎦⎣ ⎦ ⎣
x −y z z −z z −2y2 + z 2 x2− 2⎦
y2 − z2 x 2 + y2 + z

Thus, A A ′ = I ⇒4y2 + z2 = 1, 2y2 − z2 = 0, x2 + y2 + z2 = 1, x2 − y2 − z2 = 0

– - -
x = ±1/√2, y = ±1/√6, z = ±1/√3

0 1 2 1/2 −1/2 1/2

⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤
−1
Illustration 5: If A = ⎢1 2 3⎥ and A = ⎢ −4 3 y ⎥,
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦
3 x 1 5/2 −3/2 1/2

then
1
(a )x = 1, y = −1 (b)x = −1, y = 1 (c)x = 2, y = −1/2 ( d ) x = 1/2, y =
2
Solution:
−1
(a) We know A A = I, hence by solving it we can obtain the values of x and y.
We have

1 0 0 0 1 2 1/2 −1/2 1/2

⎡ ⎤ ⎡ ⎤⎡ ⎤
⎢0 1
1 0 ⎥= AA− = ⎢1 2 3 ⎥ ⎢ −4 3 y ⎥
⎣ ⎦ ⎣ ⎦⎣ ⎦
0 0 1 3 x 1 5 /2 −3/2 1/2

1 0 y + 1
⎡ ⎤
=⎢ 0 1 2 (y + 1) ⎥
⎣ ⎦
4 (1 − x) 3 (x − 1) 2 + xy

⇒ 1 − x = 0, x − 1 = 0; y + 1 = 0, y + 1 = 0, 2 + xy = 1

∴ x = 1, y = -1

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