Inverse of a matrix

Dependencies:

  1. Field
  2. Identity matrix
  3. Matrix multiplication is associative

Let $F$ be a field and $A \in \mathbb{M}_{n, n}(F)$.

If a matrix $L$ exists such that $LA = I_n$, then $L$ is a left inverse of $A$. If a matrix $R$ exists such that $AR = I_n$, then $R$ is a right inverse of $A$. If $A$ has both a left inverse and a right inverse, it can be proven that all left inverses and right inverses are identical. Therefore, such a matrix is simply called the inverse of $A$ and is denoted as $A^{-1}$.

A matrix whose inverse exists is called an invertible matrix.

$AB = BA = I \Rightarrow$ $A$ and $B$ are inverses of each other. Therefore, $A = (A^{-1})^{-1}$.

Proof

Suppose $A$ has a left inverse $L$ and a right inverse $R$.

\[ L = LI_n = L(AR) = (LA)R = I_nR = R \]

Hence, every left inverse is equal to every right inverse. Therefore, they are all equal.

(It can actually be proven that a left inverse is also a right inverse).

Dependency for:

  1. A is diagonalizable iff there are n linearly independent eigenvectors
  2. RREF([A|I]) = [I|inv(A)] iff A is invertible
  3. Full-rank square matrix is invertible
  4. Elementary row operation is matrix pre-multiplication
  5. Inverse of product

Info:

Transitive dependencies:

  1. Group
  2. Ring
  3. Field
  4. Semiring
  5. Matrix
  6. Matrix multiplication is associative
  7. Identity matrix