Inverse Matrices

Something to note

The matrix A is invertible if there exists a matrix $A^{-1}$

Two-sided inverse:
$$
A^{-1}\cdot A = I
$$
Not all matrices have inverses. There are six note:

  1. The inverse exists if and only if elimination produces n pivots (row exchanges are allowed).
  2. The matxi A cannot have two different inverses.
  3. If A is invertible, the one and only solution to Ax = b is $x = A^{-1}b$.
  4. (important) Suppose tehre is a nonzero vector x such that Ax = 0. Then A cannot have an inverse. No matrix can bring o back to x.

    If A is invertible, then Ax = 0 can only have the zero solution when $x = A^{-1}\cdot 0 = 0$.

  5. A 2 by 2 matrix is invertible if an only if ad-bc is not zero:

    2 by 2 Inverse:
    $$
    \begin{bmatrix}
    a & b\
    c & d\
    \end{bmatrix}
    ^{-1}=\frac{1}{ad-bc}
    \begin{bmatrix}
    d & -b\
    -c & a\
    \end{bmatrix}
    $$

    ad-bc is the determinant of A

  6. A diagonal matrix has an inverse provided no diagonal entries are zero:
    if $$ A = \begin{bmatrix} d_1 & & \\ &\ddots& \\ & &d_n\\ \end{bmatrix} $$ then $$ A^{-1} = \begin{bmatrix} \frac{1}{d_1} & & \\ &\ddots& \\ & &\frac{1}{d_n}\\ \end{bmatrix} $$