Question Details

Which of the below condition is incorrect for the inverse of a matrix A?

Options

A

The matrix A must be a square matrix

B

A must be singular matrix

C

A must be a non-singular matrix

D

adj A≠0

Correct Answer :

A must be singular matrix

Solution :

The correct option is "A must be singular matrix".

Let us understand why this condition is incorrect for the inverse of a matrix to exist, by looking at the definition and properties of a matrix inverse.

For any square matrix A of order n, its inverse A-1 is defined such that:
A A - 1 = A - 1 A = I
where I is the identity matrix of the same order.

The formula to find the inverse of a matrix A is given by:
A - 1 = 1 | A | adj ( A )
where |A| (or det(A)) is the determinant of matrix A, and adj(A) is the adjoint of matrix A.

From this formula, we can analyze the conditions under which the inverse exists:
1. Square Matrix: The determinant and adjoint are only defined for square matrices. Thus, matrix A must be a square matrix. (This is a correct condition).
2. Non-zero Determinant: Since the determinant |A| is in the denominator of the inverse formula, it must not be equal to zero (|A|0) to prevent division by zero. A matrix with a non-zero determinant is called a non-singular matrix. Therefore, A must be a non-singular matrix. (This is a correct condition).
3. Adjoint Condition: For the inverse to be defined and non-zero, the adjoint of A must also not be a zero matrix, i.e., adj(A)0. (This is a correct condition).

Conversely, a singular matrix is defined as a matrix whose determinant is equal to zero (|A|=0). If A is a singular matrix, then its inverse A-1 does not exist because division by zero is undefined. Therefore, the statement "A must be singular matrix" is incorrect for the existence of the inverse of a matrix.

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