MODULE NO.

7
ADJOINT AND INVERSE OF A
MATRIX
 ADJOINT OF A MATRIX
Let 𝐴 = [𝑎𝑗𝑘 ] be an n-square matrix and 𝐴𝑗𝑘 be the
cofactor of 𝑎𝑗𝑘 , then by definition, the adjoint of square matrix
𝐴, adj 𝐴 is
𝐴11 𝐴21 𝐴31 … 𝐴𝑛1
𝐴12 𝐴22 𝐴32 … 𝐴𝑛2
adj 𝐴 = 𝐴13 𝐴23 𝐴33 … 𝐴𝑛3
……………………….
𝐴1𝑛 𝐴2𝑛 𝐴3𝑛 … 𝐴𝑛𝑛

The cofactors of the elements of the 𝑖 th row (column) of 𝐴

are the elements of the 𝑖 th column (row) of adjoint 𝐴.
 EXAMPLE

1 2 3
1. Find the adjoint of 𝐴 = 2 3 2
3 3 4
Solution:
For adj 𝐴
𝐴11 𝐴21 𝐴31
adj 𝐴 = 𝐴12 𝐴22 𝐴32
𝐴13 𝐴23 𝐴33
where
2 3 2 2 2 3 4 2 3
𝐴11 = (−1) 𝐴12 = (−1) 𝐴13 = (−1)
3 4 3 4 3 3
= 12 − 6 =− 8−6 =6−9
𝐴11 = 6 𝐴12 = −2 𝐴13 = −3
 32 3 4 1 3 5 1 2
𝐴21 = (−1) 𝐴22 = (−1) 𝐴23 = (−1)
3 4 3 4 3 3
= −(8 − 9) = 4−9 = −(3 − 6)
𝐴21 = 1 𝐴22 = −5 𝐴23 = 3
2 3
4 5 1 3 1 2
6
𝐴31 = (−1) 𝐴32 = (−1) 𝐴33 = (−1)
3 2 2 2 2 3
=4−9 =− 2−6 =3−4
𝐴31 = −5 𝐴32 = 4 𝐴33 = −1
Hence
6 1 −5
adj 𝐴 = −2 −5 4 ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
−3 3 −1
Alternative Solution:
For 𝐴𝑇
1 2 3
𝐴𝑇 = 2 3 3
3 2 4
For adj 𝐴

3 3 2 3 2 3
−
2 4 3 4 3 2
2 3 1 3 1 2
adj 𝐴 = − −
2 4 3 4 3 2
2 3 1 3 1 2
−
3 3 2 3 2 3
 (12 − 6) −(8 − 9) (4 − 9)
adj 𝐴 = −(8 − 6) (4 − 9) −(2 − 6)
(6 − 9) −(3 − 6) (3 − 4)
6 1 −5
adj 𝐴 = −2 −5 4 ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
−3 3 −1

INVERSE OF A MATRIX
If 𝐴 and 𝐵 are square matrices of order n such that 𝐴𝐵 =
𝐵𝐴 = 𝐼 −1
(Identity matrix), then 𝐴 can be −1
called the inverse of 𝐵
𝐴=𝐵 or 𝐵 is the inverse of 𝐴 𝐵 = 𝐴 .
Using the adjoint of matrix 𝐴 and the value of the
determinant 𝐴, then the inverse of matrix 𝐴, 𝐴−1 can be
expressed as
 −1
adj 𝐴
𝐴 =
det 𝐴
i.. A square matrix 𝐴 has an inverse if and only if it is a non-
singular matrix.
ii. If 𝐴 is a non-singular matrix and 𝐴𝐵 = 𝐴𝐶, then this implies
𝐵 = 𝐶.
iii. If 𝐴 is a non-singular matrix of order n, then there exists a
unique inverse, 𝐴−1 .
iv. If 𝐴 is reduced to 𝐼 (Identity matrix) by a sequence of row
transformations alone, then 𝐴−1 is equal to the product in
reverse order of the corresponding elementary matrices.
 EXAMPLE
2 3 4
1. Find the inverse of 𝐴 = 4 3 1 .
1 2 4
Solution:
Solving for 𝐴−1
−1
adj 𝐴
𝐴 =
det 𝐴
where
det 𝐴 = 24 + 3 + 32 − 12 − 4 − 48
det 𝐴 = −5
Solving for 𝐴𝑇
 2 4 1
𝐴𝑇 = 3 3 2
4 1 4
Solving for adj 𝐴
3 2 3 2 3 3
−
1 4 4 4 4 1
4 1 2 1 2 4
adj 𝐴 = − −
1 4 4 4 4 1
4 1 2 1 2 4
−
3 2 3 2 3 3
10 −4 −9
adj 𝐴 = −15 4 14
5 −1 −6
Hence
10 −4 −9
−5 −5 −5
−15 4 14
𝐴−1 =
−5 −5 −5
5 −1 −6
−5 −5 −5
4 9
−2
5 5
4 14
𝐴−1 = 3 − − ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
5 5
1 6
−1
5 5
Alternative Solution:
2 3 4 1 0 0 𝑟1 ÷ 2
𝐴 ⋮ 𝐼3 = 4 3 1 0 1 0
1 2 4 0 0 1
3 1
1 2 0 0
= 2 2
4 3 1 0 1 0 𝑟2 − 4𝑟1
1 2 4 0 0 1 𝑟3 − 𝑟1
3 1
1 2 0 0
2 2
= 0 −3 −7 −2 1 0 𝑟2 ÷ (−3)
1 1
0 2 − 0 1
2 2
 3 1
1 2 0 0
2 2
7 2 1
𝐴 ⋮ 𝐼3 = 0 1 − 0
3 3 3
1 1 1
0 2 − 0 1 𝑟3 − 𝑟2
2 2 2
3 1
1 2 0 0
2 2
7 2 1
= 0 1 − 0
3 3 3
5 5 1 6
0 0 − 1 𝑟3 𝑥
6 6 6 5
 3 1
1 2 0 0 𝑟1 − 2𝑟3
2 2 7
7 2 1 𝑟2 − 𝑟3
𝐴 ⋮ 𝐼3 = 0 1 − 0 3
3 3 3
1 6
0 0 1 −1
5 5
3 25 12 3
1 0 − − 𝑟1 − 𝑟2
2 52 5 2
4 14
= 0 1 0 3 − −
5 5
1 6
0 0 1 −1
6 5
 4 9
1 0 0 −2
5 5
4 14
𝐴 ⋮ 𝐼3 = 0 1 0 3 − −
5 5
1 6
0 0 1 −1
5 5
Hence
4 9
−2
5 5
4 14
𝐴−1 = 3 − − ← 𝐴𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟
5 5
1 6
−1
5 5
 EXERCISE NO 3
1. Find the adjoint of the following matrices:

3 −1 5 1+𝑖 3−𝑖 2+𝑖

a. 𝐴 = 2 −1 4 b. 𝐴 = 𝑖 2𝑖 3𝑖
4 −2 1 2−𝑖 1 − 𝑖𝑖 3+𝑖

−2 1 −1 3 2−𝑖 𝑖 1+𝑖 −2𝑖

−1 2 −4 2 3𝑖 1−𝑖 −𝑖 1 + 2𝑖
c. 𝐴 = d. 𝐴 =
−3 3 −2 1 −1 + 𝑖 2𝑖 3+𝑖 4𝑖
−4 4 −3 4 2𝑖 2+𝑖 −2𝑖 1−𝑖
2. Find the inverse of the following matrices:

1 2 3 1 + 2𝑖 3𝑖 4−𝑖
a. 𝐴 = 2 4 5 b. 𝐴 = 2𝑖 1 − 3𝑖 𝑖
3 5 6 2−𝑖 4𝑖 3+𝑖

1 3 3 2 1
2 5 2 3
1 4 3 3 −1
2 3 3 4
c. 𝐴 = d. 𝐴 = 1 3 4 1 1
3 6 3 2
1 1 1 1 −1
4 12 0 8
1 −2 −1 2 2