Chapter 1: Problem 25
a. If \(A\) is invertible, is \(A+A^{T}\) always invertible? b. If \(A\) is invertible, is \(A+A\) always invertible?
Short Answer
Expert verified
(a) No, (b) Yes
Step by step solution
01
Understanding the Problem
To determine the invertibility of a matrix, remember that a matrix is invertible if it has a non-zero determinant. For part (a), if matrix \(A\) is invertible, we need to check if the matrix \(A+A^T\) is also invertible. For part (b), we need to check if \(A+A\), which simplifies to \(2A\), is invertible when \(A\) is invertible.
02
Consideration of Symmetric Matrices for Part (a)
Since \(A^T\) is the transpose of \(A\), \(A + A^T\) is always a symmetric matrix. A symmetric matrix is not guaranteed to be invertible even if \(A\) itself is invertible. Consider a counterexample: let \(A\) be a matrix where \(A + A^T = 0 \) (null or zero matrix), which is clearly not invertible.
03
Counterexample to Part (a)
Let \(A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 1 \ 0 & 1 \end{bmatrix}\). \(A^T = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 \ 1 & 1 \end{bmatrix}\). Then \(A + A^T = \begin{bmatrix} 2 & 1 \ 1 & 2 \end{bmatrix}\). The determinant of \(A + A^T\) is \(3\), which confirms invertibility. This matrix is invertible. However, to disprove the general case, use another matrix: \(A = \begin{bmatrix} 0 & 1 \ -1 & 0 \end{bmatrix}\), then \(A^T = \begin{bmatrix} 0 & -1 \ 1 & 0 \end{bmatrix}\), making \(A + A^T = \begin{bmatrix} 0 & 0 \ 0 & 0 \end{bmatrix}\), which is not invertible. Thus, \(A + A^T\) may not always be invertible.
04
Simplifying Part (b) to Scalar Multiplication
For part (b), \(A + A\) simplifies to \(2A\). If \(A\) is invertible, multiplying it by a nonzero scalar (here, 2) results in \(2A\), which will still be invertible. The determinant of \(2A\) is \(2^n \cdot \text{det}(A)\), which is non-zero since \(\text{det}(A)eq 0\).
05
Conclusion for Both Parts
Part (a): \(A + A^T\) is not always invertible even if \(A\) is invertible, due to existence of counterexamples.Part (b): \(A + A\) or \(2A\) is always invertible if \(A\) is invertible, since multiplying by 2 does not affect invertibility.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Matrix Transpose
The matrix transpose is a fundamental concept in linear algebra. When you transpose a matrix, you essentially "flip" it over its diagonal. This means that
- The element located at row \(i\) and column \(j\) in the original matrix \(A\) becomes the element at row \(j\) and column \(i\) in the transposed matrix \(A^T\).
- For example, if you have a matrix \(A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2 \ 3 & 4 \end{bmatrix}\), the transpose, \(A^T\), is \(\begin{bmatrix} 1 & 3 \ 2 & 4 \end{bmatrix}\).
Symmetric Matrices
Symmetric matrices are of particular interest because they hold unique algebraic properties. A symmetric matrix is one where the matrix is equal to its transpose, or mathematically, \(A = A^T\). This property ensures that the elements across the main diagonal are mirrored.
- For example, \(\begin{bmatrix} 2 & -1 \ -1 & 3 \end{bmatrix}\) is symmetric since it equals its transpose.
- Symmetric matrices are often involved in real-valued functions and optimization problems due to their stability and predictability.
Matrix Determinant
The matrix determinant is a scalar value with profound importance. It helps determine whether a square matrix is invertible. The determinant can be thought of as a measure of the matrix's volume scaling effect during linear transformation.
- If the determinant of a matrix is zero, the matrix is not invertible. This situation means the transformation results in volume collapse, losing dimensionality.
- For a \(2 \times 2\) matrix \(A = \begin{bmatrix} a & b \ c & d \end{bmatrix}\), the determinant is \(ad - bc\).
- An invertible matrix must have a non-zero determinant.
Scalar Multiplication
Scalar multiplication involves multiplying every entry of a matrix by a scalar value. This operation directly affects the matrix's determinant and invertibility.
- If matrix \(A\) is invertible, and you multiply it by a scalar \(k\), resulting matrix \(kA\) is also invertible as long as \(k eq 0\).
- The determinant of \(kA\) is \(k^n \times \text{det}(A)\), where \(n\) is the size of the square matrix.