Table of contents
- 0. Review of Algebra4h 18m
- 1. Equations & Inequalities3h 18m
- 2. Graphs of Equations43m
- 3. Functions2h 17m
- 4. Polynomial Functions1h 44m
- 5. Rational Functions1h 23m
- 6. Exponential & Logarithmic Functions2h 28m
- 7. Systems of Equations & Matrices4h 6m
- 8. Conic Sections2h 23m
- 9. Sequences, Series, & Induction1h 22m
- 10. Combinatorics & Probability1h 45m
7. Systems of Equations & Matrices
Determinants and Cramer's Rule
Problem 5
Textbook Question
In Exercises 1 - 12, find the products AB and BA to determine whether B is the multiplicative inverse of A. - 2 1 1 2A = B = 3/2 - 1/2 3 4

1
Calculate the product AB by multiplying matrix A with matrix B.
For AB, compute the element in the first row, first column: (-2)(1) + (1)(3).
For AB, compute the element in the first row, second column: (-2)(2) + (1)(4).
For AB, compute the element in the second row, first column: (3/2)(1) + (-1/2)(3).
For AB, compute the element in the second row, second column: (3/2)(2) + (-1/2)(4).

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Matrix Multiplication
Matrix multiplication involves taking the rows of the first matrix and the columns of the second matrix to produce a new matrix. The element in the resulting matrix is calculated by multiplying corresponding elements and summing them up. This operation is not commutative, meaning that AB does not necessarily equal BA.
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Multiplicative Inverse of a Matrix
A matrix B is considered the multiplicative inverse of matrix A if the product of A and B results in the identity matrix. The identity matrix acts like the number 1 in matrix operations, meaning that multiplying any matrix by its inverse yields the identity matrix, which is crucial for solving systems of equations.
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Identity Matrix
The identity matrix is a square matrix with ones on the diagonal and zeros elsewhere. For a 2x2 matrix, it looks like [[1, 0], [0, 1]]. When any matrix is multiplied by the identity matrix, it remains unchanged. This property is essential for verifying if one matrix is the inverse of another.
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