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Exercise 1.8 · Q2

Q.If AA is a 3×33\times3 non-singular matrix such that AAT=ATAAA^T=A^TA and B=A−1ATB=A^{-1}A^T, then BBT=BB^T=

(1) AA
(2) BB
(3) I3I_3
(4) BTB^T
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✓ Free question

We write BTB^T using the standard identity (A−1)T=(AT)−1(A^{-1})^T=(A^T)^{-1}, form the product BBTBB^T, and use the given condition AAT=ATAAA^T=A^TA to collapse it to I3I_3.

Step 1. Write BTB^T. B=A−1ATB=A^{-1}A^T, so

BT=(A−1AT)T=(AT)T(A−1)T=A(AT)−1,B^T=(A^{-1}A^T)^T=(A^T)^T(A^{-1})^T=A(A^T)^{-1},

using (XY)T=YTXT(XY)^T=Y^TX^T and (A−1)T=(AT)−1(A^{-1})^T=(A^T)^{-1}.

Step 2. Form the product BBTBB^T.

BBT=(A−1AT)(A(AT)−1)=A−1(ATA)(AT)−1.BB^T=\left(A^{-1}A^T\right)\left(A(A^T)^{-1}\right)=A^{-1}\left(A^TA\right)(A^T)^{-1}.

Step 3. Use the given normality condition. Since AAT=ATAAA^T=A^TA, replace ATAA^TA by AATAA^T:

BBT=A−1(AAT)(AT)−1=(A−1A)(AT(AT)−1).BB^T=A^{-1}\left(AA^T\right)(A^T)^{-1}=\left(A^{-1}A\right)\left(A^T(A^T)^{-1}\right).

Step 4. Simplify each bracket. A−1A=I3A^{-1}A=I_3 and AT(AT)−1=I3A^T(A^T)^{-1}=I_3 (since AA, and hence ATA^T, is non-singular). So

BBT=I3⋅I3=I3.BB^T=I_3\cdot I_3=I_3.

✓Final answer

Option (3): BBT=I3BB^T=I_3.

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