Q.A matrix has 13 elements. The number of possible different orders it can have
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Matrix Order Possibilities – From Intuition to Precision
A matrix is a rectangular grid of numbers with some number of rows and columns. The order of a matrix says exactly that: "this matrix has m rows and n columns," written m×n (read "m by n").
For example, 3 rows and 2 columns is order 3×2; 1 row and 4 columns is 1×4 (a row vector); 5 rows and 1 column is 5×1 (a column vector).
The key idea: the order tells you the shape of the matrix. Two matrices can hold the same numbers but different orders — and then they are completely different objects.
The Precise Statement
Order of a matrix=Number of rows×Number of columns
A matrix with m rows and n columns has order m×n, where m,n∈N.
The order is always written rows first, then columns. So 3×2 means 3 rows and 2 columns, not the reverse.
What "Possibilities" Means
Matrix order possibilities asks: what shapes can a matrix have? Any pair of positive integers (m,n) gives a valid order, so the set of all possible orders is:
{m×n∣m,n∈N}
That is 1×1, 1×2, 2×1, 2×2, 3×5, 100×1, 1×100, and so on — infinitely many.
A 1×1 matrix is a single number (a scalar), a 1×n matrix is a row vector, and an m×1 matrix is a column vector — all special cases.
Why This Matters
The order determines which operations are allowed:
- Addition: only between two matrices of the same order.
- Multiplication: A (order m×n) times B (order p×q) works only if n=p (columns of A equal rows of B); the result has order m×q.
A common mistake: thinking 2×3 and 3×2 matrices are the same. They aren't — different shapes, and they cannot be added.
Quick Examples
| Matrix | Rows | Columns | Order |
|--------|------|---------|-------| …
Since 13 is prime, the only factorisations are 1×13 and 13×1, giving 2 po …
A matrix of order m×n has mn elements; for mn=13 (prime) there are exactly 2 ordered factor pairs, answer (b).
An m×n matrix has mn entries. We need ordered pairs (m,n) of positive integers with mn=13. As 13 is prime, its only positive divisors a …
Showing the 12 most recent of 16 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.Which of the following cannot be the order of a row-matrix? (A) 2×1 (B) 1×2 (C) 1×1 (D) 1×n
›Reveal solutionSolution
A row-matrix has exactly one row and any number of columns. The order must be 1×n where n≥1. Among the options, 2×1 has two rows, so it cannot be a row-matrix. The answer is (A).
The idea is simple: a row-matrix is defined by its shape — it is a matrix with a single row. That means the first dimension (number of rows) is always 1. The second dimension (number of columns) can be any positive integer. So the order is always 1×n, where n is a natural number (n=1,2,3,…).
Now, let’s check each option against this definition.
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Option (A): 2×1
This matrix has 2 rows and 1 column. Since a row-matrix must have exactly 1 row, this order is impossible. It is actually a column-matrix (one column, many rows).
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Option (B): 1×2
This has 1 row and 2 columns. That fits perfectly — it is a row-matrix with two entries.
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Option (C): 1×1
This has 1 row and 1 column. It is a special case: a row-matrix with a single element. Yes, it qualifies — a 1×1 matrix is both a row-matrix and a column-matrix.
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Option (D): 1×n …
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- CBSE 2026Set 65/3/11 markMCQQ.If 413A=−4−1−3826413, then order of A must be: (A) 3×1 (B) 1×3 (C) 1×1 (D) 3×3
›Reveal solutionSolution
The product of a column vector and a row vector yields a matrix whose order is (rows of first) × (columns of second); here 3×3.
Understanding Matrix Multiplication and Order
When we multiply two matrices, the order of the resulting matrix is determined by a simple rule: if matrix P has order m×n and matrix Q has order n×p, then their product PQ has order m×p. The middle dimension n must match for multiplication to be defined, and it "disappears" in the result.
In this problem, we're multiplying a column vector by a row vector. This is the outer product, which produces a full matrix rather than a scalar (which would be the inner product, row times column).
Step-by-Step Solution
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Identify the order of the first matrix
The first matrix is 413, a column vector with 3 rows and 1 column.
Order: 3×1
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Identify the order of the second matrix
The second matrix is [−121], a row vector with 1 row and 3 columns.
Order: 1×3
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Check compatibility and find the resulting order
For multiplication (3×1)×(1×3):
- The inner dimensions are both 1, so multiplication is valid ✓
- The outer dimensions give us the result: 3×3
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Verify with the actual multiplication (optional but instructive) …
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- CBSE 2026Set V11 markMCQQ.A matrix has 13 elements. The number of possible different orders it can have(a) 1(b) 2(c) 3(d) 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
A matrix of order m×n has mn elements; for mn=13 (prime) there are exactly 2 ordered factor pairs, answer (b).
An m×n matrix has mn entries. We need ordered pairs (m,n) of positive integers with mn=13. As 13 is prime, its only positive divisors a …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Number of elements in a matrix of order 3×5 (A3×5) will be:(a) 3(b) 5(c) 8(d) 15
›Reveal solutionSolution
A matrix of order m×n has m×n elements.
…
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The total number of all possible matrices of order 3×3 with entry 0 or 2, is:(a) 27(b) 18(c) 81(d) 512
›Reveal solutionSolution
Each of the 9 entries of a 3×3 matrix can independently be 0 or 2, giving 29 matrices.
A 3×3 matrix has 3×3=9 entries. Each entry has 2 independent choices (0 or 2). By the multiplication pri …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The matrix B = [aᵢⱼ]₁ˣₙ, when n > 1 is :(a) Square matrix(b) Column matrix(c) Diagonal matrix(d) Row matrix
›Reveal solutionSolution
A matrix with order 1×n (one row, n columns, n>1) is a row matrix.
The matrix B=[aij]1×n has exactly 1 row and n columns. By definition, a matrix having only one row (and more than one column) is called a row matrix. It is not square (rows = columns since n>1) …
- CBSE 2024Set 65/1/11 markMCQQ.If a matrix has 36 elements, then the number of possible orders it can have is : (A) 13 (B) 3 (C) 5 (D) 9 General Instructions : Read the following instructions very carefully and strictly follow them :(i) This question paper contains 38 questions. All questions are compulsory.(ii) This question paper is divided into five Sections – A, B, C, D and E.(iii) In Section A, Questions no. 1 to 18 are multiple choice questions (MCQs) and questions number 19 and 20 are Assertion-Reason based questions of 1 mark each.(iv) In Section B, Questions no. 21 to 25 are very short answer (VSA) type questions, carrying 2 marks each.(v) In Section C, Questions no. 26 to 31 are short answer (SA) type questions, carrying 3 marks each.(vi) In Section D, Questions no. 32 to 35 are long answer (LA) type questions carrying 5 marks each.(vii) In Section E, Questions no. 36 to 38 are case study based questions carrying 4 marks each.(viii) There is no overall choice. However, an internal choice has been provided in 2 questions in Section B, 3 questions in Section C, 2 questions in Section D and 2 questions in Section E.(ix) Use of calculators is not allowed.
›Reveal solutionSolution
The number of possible orders of a matrix with 36 elements equals the number of factor pairs of 36. Since order is given by m×n where m and n are positive integers, the factor pairs are (1,36),(2,18),(3,12),(4,9),(6,6) and their reverses, giving 9 distinct orders. The correct option is (D) 9.
The key idea here is simple: a matrix’s order is written as m×n, where m is the number of rows and n is the number of columns. The total number of elements is m×n. So if a matrix has 36 elements, we need all pairs of positive integers (m,n) such that m×n=36.
Why does this matter? Because each such pair gives a possible shape for the matrix — a different arrangement of rows and columns. For example, a 4×9 matrix looks very different from a 9×4 matrix, but both have 36 entries. The question asks for the number of possible orders, meaning how many distinct (m,n) pairs exist.
Let’s work through it step by step.
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List all factor pairs of 36.
Since m and n are positive integers, we find all pairs (m,n) with m×n=36. Start from m=1 and go up to m=6 (since beyond that, pairs repeat).
- 1×36=36
- 2×18=36
- 3×12=36
- 4×9=36
- 6×6=36
These are the unordered factor pairs. But order matters here because m and n are rows and columns — swapping them gives a different matrix shape (unless m=n).
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Count distinct orders.
For each unordered pair, we get two orders unless the two numbers are equal.
- From (1,36): orders 1×36 and 36×1 → 2 orders
- From (2,18): 2×18 and 18×2 → 2 orders
- From (3,12): 3×12 and 12×3 → 2 orders
- From (4,9): 4×9 and 9×4 → 2 orders
- From (6,6): only 6×6 (since swapping gives the same) → 1 order
Total distinct orders = 2+2+2+2+1=9. …
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- CBSE 2024Set A1 markMCQQ.The number of all possible matrices of order 2×2 with entry 0 or 1 is(a) 27(b) 512(c) 16(d) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
There are 24=16 such 2×2 matrices.
A 2×2 matrix has 4 entries. Each entry can independently be chosen as 0 or 1, i.e. 2 choices per entry. By the multiplication principle, t …
- CBSE 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Total numbers of possible matrices of order 3×3 with each entry 2 or 0, are:(a) 9(b) 27(c) 81(d) 512
›Reveal solutionSolution
512 — option (d).
A 3×3 matrix has 9 entries. Each entry can independently be chosen in 2 ways (2 or 0). …
- CBSE 2023Set M1 markMCQQ.If a matrix has 18 elements, then the number of matrices having all possible orders is(a) 4(b) 6(c) 2(d) 8
›Reveal solutionSolution
Tests counting matrix orders from the element count. 18 has 6 ordered factorisations m×n.
An m×n matrix has mn elements. For 18 elements we need every ordered pair (m,n) of positive integers with mn=18. Each divisor m of 18 fixes n=18/m, so the count equals the number of divisors of 18: …
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.If a matrix has 14 elements, what are the possible orders it can have?
›Reveal solutionSolution
A matrix of order m×n has mn elements; find all factor pairs of 14.
If a matrix has mn=14 elements, we need all ordered pairs (m,n) of positive integers with product 14.
14=1×14=14×1=2×7=7×2.
…
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If the order of a matrix is m×n, then the number of elements in it are:(a) m(b) n(c) mn(d) m−n
›Reveal solutionSolution
The number of elements in a matrix equals (number of rows) × (number of columns).
A matrix of order m×n is arranged in m rows and n columns. Each row has n entries, and there are m …
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