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CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
Q.If A=[12−1−1], B=[ab1−1] and (A+B)2=A2+B2, then the values of a and b are:
(a) a = 4, b = 1
(b) a = 1, b = 4
(c) a = 0, b = 4
(d) a = 2, b = 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
(A+B)2=A2+B2 requires AB+BA=0 (a zero matrix); computing this from A,B gives a=1,b=4.
Expanding, (A+B)2=A2+AB+BA+B2. For this to equal A2+B2, we need AB+BA=0 (the zero matrix), which is the real condition to use (matrix multiplication is not commutative, so we cannot cancel AB against BA individually).