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Exercise 1.1 · Q8

Q.If adj⁡(A)=(2−42−312−7−202)\operatorname{adj}(A)=\begin{pmatrix} 2 & -4 & 2 \\ -3 & 12 & -7 \\ -2 & 0 & 2\end{pmatrix}, find AA.

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We use the two standard adjoint identities for a 3×33\times3 matrix — ∣adj⁡A∣=∣A∣n−1|\operatorname{adj}A|=|A|^{n-1} and adj⁡(adj⁡A)=∣A∣n−2A\operatorname{adj}(\operatorname{adj}A)=|A|^{n-2}A — to recover ∣A∣|A| and then AA itself directly from the given adj⁡A\operatorname{adj}A, without ever knowing AA in advance.

Step 1. Recall the two identities for a 3×33\times3 matrix AA (so n=3n=3). ∣adj⁡A∣=∣A∣n−1=∣A∣2|\operatorname{adj}A|=|A|^{n-1}=|A|^2, and adj⁡(adj⁡A)=∣A∣n−2A=∣A∣1A=∣A∣ A\operatorname{adj}(\operatorname{adj}A)=|A|^{n-2}A=|A|^1A=|A|\,A.

Step 2. Compute ∣adj⁡A∣|\operatorname{adj}A| for adj⁡A=(2−42−312−7−202)\operatorname{adj}A=\begin{pmatrix}2&-4&2\\-3&12&-7\\-2&0&2\end{pmatrix}. Expanding along row 1:

∣adj⁡A∣=2(12⋅2−(−7)⋅0)−(−4)((−3)⋅2−(−7)(−2))+2((−3)⋅0−12⋅(−2))|\operatorname{adj}A|=2\big(12\cdot2-(-7)\cdot0\big)-(-4)\big((-3)\cdot2-(-7)(-2)\big)+2\big((-3)\cdot0-12\cdot(-2)\big)

=2(24−0)−(−4)(−6−14)+2(0+24)=48−(−4)(−20)+48=48−80+48=16=2(24-0)-(-4)(-6-14)+2(0+24)=48-(-4)(-20)+48=48-80+48=16.

Step 3. Solve for ∣A∣|A|. ∣adj⁡A∣=∣A∣2 ⇒ ∣A∣2=16 ⇒ ∣A∣=±4|\operatorname{adj}A|=|A|^2\ \Rightarrow\ |A|^2=16\ \Rightarrow\ |A|=\pm4. Both signs satisfy this equation equally, so the sign of ∣A∣|A| is not yet determined.

Step 4. Compute adj⁡(adj⁡A)\operatorname{adj}(\operatorname{adj}A) — the adjugate of the given matrix N=adj⁡AN=\operatorname{adj}A. Cofactors of N=(2−42−312−7−202)N=\begin{pmatrix}2&-4&2\\-3&12&-7\\-2&0&2\end{pmatrix}:

C11=12(2)−(−7)(0)=24, C12=−((−3)(2)−(−7)(−2))=−(−6−14)=20, C13=(−3)(0)−12(−2)=24C_{11}=12(2)-(-7)(0)=24,\ C_{12}=-\big((-3)(2)-(-7)(-2)\big)=-(-6-14)=20,\ C_{13}=(-3)(0)-12(-2)=24

C21=−((−4)(2)−2(0))=−(−8)=8, C22=2(2)−2(−2)=4+4=8, C23=−(2(0)−(−4)(−2))=−(0−8)=8C_{21}=-\big((-4)(2)-2(0)\big)=-(-8)=8,\ C_{22}=2(2)-2(-2)=4+4=8,\ C_{23}=-\big(2(0)-(-4)(-2)\big)=-(0-8)=8

C31=(−4)(−7)−2(12)=28−24=4, C32=−(2(−7)−2(−3))=−(−14+6)=8, C33=2(12)−(−4)(−3)=24−12=12C_{31}=(-4)(-7)-2(12)=28-24=4,\ C_{32}=-\big(2(-7)-2(-3)\big)=-(-14+6)=8,\ C_{33}=2(12)-(-4)(-3)=24-12=12

Step 5. Transpose to get adj⁡(adj⁡A)\operatorname{adj}(\operatorname{adj}A). The cofactor matrix is (2420248884812)\begin{pmatrix}24&20&24\\8&8&8\\4&8&12\end{pmatrix}, so adj⁡(adj⁡A)=(2484208824812)\operatorname{adj}(\operatorname{adj}A)=\begin{pmatrix}24&8&4\\20&8&8\\24&8&12\end{pmatrix}. …

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