Prove These 3 Statements About A Matrix: Rank of Adjoint

This means that the corresponding minors will all be zero.In summary, we can prove the three statements by looking at the Jordan Normal Form of A. If the rank of A is equal to n, then the rank of the adjugate of A will also be n. If the rank of A is equal to n-1, then the rank of the adjugate of A will be 1. And if the rank of A is less than n-1, then the rank of the adjugate of A will be 0.
  • #1
Yankel
395
0
Hello all

I need to prove these 3 statements, and I don't know how to start...

A is an nxn matrix:

1) if rank(A)=n then rank(adj(A))=n
2) if rank(A)=n-1 then rank(adj(A))=1
2) if rank(A)<n-1 then rank(adj(A))=0

thanks...:confused:
 
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  • #2
Yankel said:
Hello all

I need to prove these 3 statements, and I don't know how to start...

A is an nxn matrix:

1) if rank(A)=n then rank(adj(A))=n
2) if rank(A)=n-1 then rank(adj(A))=1
2) if rank(A)<n-1 then rank(adj(A))=0

thanks...:confused:

Write A in Jordan Normal Form:
$$A = P J P^{-1}$$
where P is an invertible matrix and J is an upper triangular matrix with its eigenvalues on its diagonal, and more specifically J consists of Jordan blocks.

If rank(A)=n-1, then J can be written with a row consisting of zeroes, a column consisting of zeroes, and the corresponding minor will be non-zero.

If rank(A)<n-1, then J can be written with at least two rows consisting of zeroes, and at least two columns consisting of zeroes.
 

FAQ: Prove These 3 Statements About A Matrix: Rank of Adjoint

What is a matrix adjoint?

A matrix adjoint, also known as the adjugate or classical adjoint, is a square matrix obtained by taking the transpose of the cofactor matrix of a given matrix. It has the same dimensions as the original matrix and is used in various operations such as finding the inverse of a matrix.

How do you calculate the adjoint of a matrix?

The adjoint of a matrix can be calculated by taking the transpose of the cofactor matrix of the given matrix. The cofactor matrix is obtained by replacing each element of the original matrix with its corresponding minor, which is the determinant of the submatrix formed by removing the row and column of the element. The sign of each element in the cofactor matrix alternates between positive and negative according to its position in the matrix. The resulting matrix is then transposed to get the adjoint matrix.

What is the relationship between the rank of a matrix and its adjoint?

The rank of a matrix and its adjoint are related by the fact that the rank of the adjoint matrix of a given matrix is always equal to the rank of the original matrix. This means that if a matrix has a certain rank, its adjoint will also have the same rank.

How can the adjoint of a matrix be used to find its inverse?

The adjoint of a matrix is used to find its inverse by dividing the adjoint matrix by the determinant of the original matrix. This is known as the adjoint method of finding the inverse and is applicable to square matrices with non-zero determinants.

Can the rank of the adjoint of a matrix be greater than the rank of the original matrix?

No, the rank of the adjoint of a matrix can never be greater than the rank of the original matrix. This is because the adjoint matrix is obtained by replacing elements of the original matrix with their corresponding minors, which are smaller submatrices. Therefore, the rank of the adjoint matrix can only be equal to or less than the rank of the original matrix.

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