Inverse Jacobian Homework: Don't Understand Why It's Formed

In summary, the conversation discusses the form of the inverse Jacobian matrix and how it relates to the general equation for the inverse of a 2x2 matrix. The conversation also explores the properties of the inverse Jacobian matrix and its relationship to the identity matrix. The conversation ends with a request for further clarification and assistance.
  • #1
bananabandana
113
5

Homework Statement


Don't understand why the inverse jacobian has the form that it does.

Homework Equations


$$ J = \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{u}} & \frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{u}} \\ \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{v}} & \frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{v}} \end{pmatrix} $$

$$ J^{-1}= \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{x}} & \frac{\partial{v}}{\partial{x}} \\ \frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{y}} & \frac{\partial{v}}{\partial{y}} \end{pmatrix} $$

The Attempt at a Solution


This flow of logic makes sense to me:
$$ \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{u}} \\ \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{v}} \end{pmatrix} = J \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{x}} \\ \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{y}} \end{pmatrix} $$
(due to the equation for change of variables in two dimensions).

Similarly, looking at the inverse transformation, if we say that there is some matrix ## M ## that represents the inverse of ## J ##, we know:

$$ \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{x}} \\ \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{y}} \end{pmatrix} =M \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{u}} \\ \frac{\partial{f}}{\partial{v}} \end{pmatrix} $$

Using the equation of the change of variables in 2D it's clear that ##J^{-1} ## should look as shown.

I'm confused however, because if I apply the general equation for the inverse of a ##2X2 ## matrix to ## J##, we get a matrix, ## j^{-1} ##, like this:

$$ j^{-1} = \frac{1}{|J|} \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{v}} & - \frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{u}} \\ -\frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{v}} & \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{u}} \end{pmatrix} $$

But this would then imply that
$$ \frac{1}{|J|} \frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{v}} = \frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{x}} $$ etc .. .
Which wouldn't seem to be generally true.

Similarly, if we multiply ## J ## and ## J^{-1} ##, using the standard rules for matrix multiplication, we get:

$$ JJ^{-1} = \begin{pmatrix} \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{u}}\frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{x}}+\frac{\partial{y}}{
\partial{u}}\frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{y}} & \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{u}}\frac{\partial{v}}{\partial{x}}+\frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{u}}\frac{\partial{v}}{\partial{y}} \\ \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{v}}\frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{x}}+\frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{v}}\frac{\partial{u}}{\partial{y}} & \frac{\partial{x}}{\partial{v}}\frac{\partial{v}}{\partial{x}}+\frac{\partial{y}}{\partial{v}}\frac{\partial{v}}{\partial{y}} \end{pmatrix} $$

If the above ##'J^{-1} ## is a true inverse of ## J ## then clearly: ## JJ^{-1}=I ##, where ## I ## is the identity matrix. But I don't understand how the terms in the above expression equate to the corresponding terms in the identity matrix! :(

Can somebody please help?

Thank you!
 
  • #3
I think you have some signs wrong in your JJ-1 matrix. After fixing that, how about try it out with a nontrivial transform, e.g. polar/Cartesian?
 

FAQ: Inverse Jacobian Homework: Don't Understand Why It's Formed

What is the Inverse Jacobian?

The Inverse Jacobian is a mathematical concept that is used to calculate the inverse of a matrix. It is commonly used in calculus, physics, and engineering to solve systems of equations and determine the rate of change of a system.

Why is the Inverse Jacobian formed?

The Inverse Jacobian is formed because it allows us to solve systems of equations that cannot be solved using traditional methods. It is especially useful when working with non-linear systems.

How is the Inverse Jacobian calculated?

The Inverse Jacobian is calculated by finding the determinant of the original matrix, then taking the transpose of the cofactor matrix, and dividing each element by the determinant.

What are the applications of the Inverse Jacobian?

The Inverse Jacobian has many applications in physics, engineering, and mathematics. It is used to solve systems of differential equations, determine the stability of a system, and calculate the change of variables in integration problems.

Are there any limitations to using the Inverse Jacobian?

Yes, there are limitations to using the Inverse Jacobian. It can only be used for square matrices, and the matrix must be invertible (have a non-zero determinant). Additionally, the Inverse Jacobian can be computationally expensive for large matrices.

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