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If \(A=\left(\begin{array}{ll}a & b \\ c & d\end{array}\right)\) is skew symmetric, show that \(a=d=0\). that is the diagonal elements are zero.

Short Answer

Expert verified
For a skew-symmetric matrix, diagonal elements are zero, thus \( a = d = 0 \).

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Definition of a Skew-Symmetric Matrix

A skew-symmetric matrix is a square matrix that satisfies the condition \( A^T = -A \) where \( A^T \) is the transpose of matrix \( A \). For a \( 2 \times 2 \) matrix like \( A = \begin{pmatrix} a & b \ c & d \end{pmatrix} \), this means that when transposed and negated, the matrix remains unchanged.
02

Apply the Skew-Symmetric Property

For matrix \( A \), the transpose \( A^T = \begin{pmatrix} a & c \ b & d \end{pmatrix} \). The property \( A^T = -A \) implies \( \begin{pmatrix} a & c \ b & d \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} -a & -b \ -c & -d \end{pmatrix} \). Equating corresponding elements gives us the equations \( a = -a \), \( b = -c \), \( c = -b \), and \( d = -d \).
03

Solve the Equations for Diagonal Elements

From the equation \( a = -a \), it follows that \( 2a = 0 \), thus \( a = 0 \). Similarly, from \( d = -d \), it follows that \( 2d = 0 \), thus \( d = 0 \). This proves that the diagonal elements of matrix \( A \) are zero.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Matrix Transpose
A matrix transpose involves swapping rows for columns. For a matrix \( A \), its transpose \( A^T \) is formed by flipping it over its diagonal.
This means the first row of matrix \( A \) becomes the first column of \( A^T \), the second row becomes the second column, and so on.
If \( A \) is a \( 2 \times 2 \) matrix, like \( A=\begin{pmatrix} a & b \ c & d \end{pmatrix} \), the transpose \( A^T \) would be \( \begin{pmatrix} a & c \ b & d \end{pmatrix} \).
Transposing a matrix is a common operation in linear algebra often used to check properties such as symmetry.
  • Transposition reflects a matrix over its main diagonal.
  • It is essential in many matrix calculations and transformations.
Understanding how to transpose matrices is a fundamental step in verifying if a matrix is skew-symmetric.
Diagonal Elements
The diagonal elements of a square matrix are those elements where the row and column indices are the same.
In our example, for matrix \( A=\begin{pmatrix} a & b \ c & d \end{pmatrix} \), the diagonal elements are \( a \) and \( d \).

For skew-symmetric matrices, these diagonal elements have a unique property: they are always zero.
This is because, by definition, a skew-symmetric matrix \( A \) satisfies \( A^T = -A \).
Applying this to the diagonal elements leads to equations like \( a = -a \), which simplifies to \( 2a = 0 \), thus \( a = 0 \).

  • Diagonal elements are critical in determining a matrix's properties.
  • The zero-diagonal property helps simplify many computations and is a telltale marker of skew-symmetry.
Knowing these characteristics aids in quickly identifying when a matrix is skew-symmetric.
Equations in Matrices
Equations in matrices often emerge when identifying or proving specific properties, such as skew-symmetry.
In our exercise, we use matrix equations to equate the original matrix to its negative transpose.
For the skew-symmetric matrix \( A=\begin{pmatrix} a & b \ c & d \end{pmatrix} \), the equation \( A^T = -A \) results in several smaller equations:
  • \( a = -a \), which implies \( 2a = 0 \) thus making \( a = 0 \)
  • \( b = -c \)
  • \( c = -b \)
  • \( d = -d \), which implies \( 2d = 0 \) thus making \( d = 0 \)
These equations show how the diagonal elements become zero and how the off-diagonal entries relate to each other with a sign change.

Utilizing such equations allows us to solve and explore matrices and provides insights into their structure and characteristics.

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