#algebra Let A be a square $\LARGE n \times n$ [[Matrix|matrix]]. An **inverse matrix** $\LARGE A^{-1}$ is a matrix such that: $\LARGE AA^{-1}=A^{-1}A=I_n$, where $\LARGE I_n$ is an [[Identity matrix|identity matrix]]. If a matrix has an inverse, it is called **invertible**. **(MUST BE A SQUARE MATRIX!!)** ## Finding an inverse matrix 1. Suppose you have a **square** $\LARGE n \times n$ matrix 2. Append an $\LARGE n \times n$ identity matrix to the right of the given matrix so that you get an $\LARGE n \times 2n$ matrix 3. Using [[Gaussian elimination]], transform the original half of the matrix into an identity matrix 4. The right half of the matrix is an inverse to the given >[!Example]- >![[Pasted image 20240920205827.png]] >![[Pasted image 20240920205901.png]] A matrix that doesn't have an inverse is called **singular matrix**: ![[Pasted image 20240920210001.png]] ## Finding an inverse matrix using [[Determinant of a matrix|determinants]] To find an inverse matrix of matrix $\LARGE A$ using determinants: 1) verify that $\LARGE \det{A}\neq0$ 2) replace each $\LARGE a_{ij}$ with its [[Determinant of a matrix|cofactor]] 3) find the [[Transpose of a matrix|transpose of this matrix]] 4) multiply it by $\LARGE \frac{1}{\det{A}}$. 5) the result is the matrix $\LARGE A^{-1}$ ![[Pasted image 20241016181645.png]]