ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc.

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Economics PG Entrance
Maths & Stats: Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

Matrices & Determinants

Important General rules (Recap)

1. Interchanging a row(column) with another row(column) gives the same value as the previous
determinant with a negative sign
2. Adding any linear combination of other rows (columns) to a row (column) leaves the
determinant value unchanged
3. Singular Matrix, A, implies that the Det. |A|=0
1
4. Inverse of a matrix is given by the formula - 𝐴−1 = |𝐴| . (𝐴𝑑𝑗𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐴)
Where, Adjoint = Transpose of [Matrix of Co-Minors]

Cramer’s Rule

Consider a system of linear equations represented in matrix multiplication form as follows:

where the square matrix A is invertible and the vector is the column vector of
the variables.
Then the theorem states that:

where Ai is the matrix formed by replacing the ith column of A by the column vector b.

Example

Coefficient Dx: Coefficient determinant

System of Answer
matrix's with answer-column
equations column
determinant values in x-column

2x + 1y + 1z = 3
1x – 1y – 1z = 0
1x + 2y + 1z = 0

What if the coefficient determinant is zero? You can't divide by zero, so what does this mean? I can't go
into the technicalities here, but "D = 0" means that the system of equations has no unique solution. The
system may be inconsistent (no solution at all) or dependent (an infinite solution, which may be
expressed as a parametric solution such as "(a, a + 3, a – 4)")

Types of matrices
• Row matrix: A matrix having only one row is called a row matrix. Its order is 1 x n.
e.g. [ 4 ], [1 2 ], [ 0 -1 3], [p q r s] are all row matrices.

• Column matrix : A matrix having only one column is called as a column matrix. Its order is
m x 1.

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

  a 
1 b 
5  
2 1 c 
− 3    
e.g. [-5],   , 2 , d  are all column matrices.

• Zero matrix: A matrix is called as a zero matrix or a null matrix if all of its elements are zero.
0  0 0 
0  , 0 0  , 0 0 
  0 0   
0   0 0 
 
e.g [0],[ 0 0],
are all zero matrices. A zero matrix is denoted by O.

• Diagonal matrix: A square matrix A = [aij] m x m is called a diagonal matrix if aij = 0 for all i ≠ j.
1 0 0 4 0 0
 2 0    
 0 3 , 0 − 1 0  ,  0 5 0 
  0 0 2   0 0 5 
e.g. [2],     are all diagonal matrices.

• Scalar matrix: A diagonal matrix A = [aij] m x m is called a scalar matrix if all the diagonal elements
are equal.
− 3 0 0
2 0  
0 2 ,  0 − 3 0 
  0 0 − 3
e.g.  are scalar matrices.

• Identity matrix: A scalar matrix A = [aij] m x m is called an identity or a unit matrix if all the
diagonal elements are unity.
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 
1 0   0 1 0 0
0 1  , 0 1 0  , 0 0 1 0
  0 0 1 
  0 
e.g. [ 1 ],  0 0 1
An identity matrix is denoted by . If its order is 2, it is denoted by 2. If its order is 3, it is denoted
by 3 etc.

• Transpose of a matrix:
If A = [aij] is an m x n matrix then the matrix obtained by interchanging the rows and the
columns of A is called as the transpose of A. It is denoted as A’ or A T. It is clear that if A = [aij] is of order m
x n then A’ = [aji ] is of order n x m.
1 4 
2 5
1 2 3  
4 5 6 3 6 3 x 2
e.g. A=  2X 3 A =

a b  a c 
c d  b d 
B=   2x2 B =   2x2

• Symmetric matrix: A square matrix A = [aij] m x m is called a symmetric matrix if aij = aji for all i,j

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

Note that A = [aij] m x m is symmetric if and only if A = A’.

1 4 
4 −1
e.g. A =   is a symmetric matrix because a12 = a21.
 2 3 − 3
3 2 0
 
− 3 0 1 
B= is a symmetric matrix because a12 = a21 , a13 = a31 and a23 = a32.

• Skew – Symmetric Matrix: A square matrix A = [aij] m x m is a skew symmetric matrix if aij = -aji for
all i and j
Note: A is a skew symmetric matrix if and only A = -A’

 0 2 0 − 2  0 2
− 2 0 2 0  − 2 0
A=   A =   , A=  

• A triangular matrix: A matrix, which is either upper – triangular or a lower –triangular matrix, is
called a triangular matrix.
1 0 0 1 2 3
3 4 0  0 − 1 5
   
1 2 8 0 0 3
e.g. and are both triangular matrices.

• Singular matrix : A square matrix A is called a singular matrix, if l A l = 0

2 4
1 2 
For example, if A =   then l A l = 0 Hence A is a singular matrix.

• A nn square matrix P is said to be orthogonal if

PP = P P = I nn
t t
.

Inverse of a matrix
Definition: If A is a square matrix of order m and if there exists another square matrix B of the same
order m such that AB = BA = I, where I is the identity matrix of order m, then B is called as the
inverse of A and is denoted by A-1.
Since B is denoted as A-1 , we get
AA-1 = A-1 A= I

Definition : If A = [aij]mxm is a non – singular square matrix, then its inverse exists and it is given as
1
A −1 = (adjA)
A
Where l A l is the value of the determinant of matrix A.

Important Result:
Let A be an n  n matrix.
• A is nonsingular if and only if
rank ( A) = n
.
• 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘(𝐴) = 𝑛 ⇔ 𝐴 is nonsingular ⇔ 𝒅𝒆𝒕(𝐴) ≠ 0
⇔ 𝐴𝑥 = 𝑏 has a unique solution.

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

• 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘(𝐴) < 𝑛 ⇔ 𝐴𝑥 = 0 has a nontrivial solution.

Important Result:
Let A be an 𝑚 × 𝑛 matrix. Then,
𝐴𝑥 = 𝑏 has a solution 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘(𝐴) = 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘[𝐴|𝑏]

ISI – 2014

ISI – 2013

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

ISI – 2012
1 2 3
10. The determinant value of |4 5 6| equals?
7 8 9
a) 21
b) -16
c) 0
d) 14

ISI-2011
𝐶 2
21. If 𝑋 = [ ] 𝑎𝑛𝑑 |𝑋 7 | = 128, then the value of C is
1 𝐶
a) ±5
b) ±1
c) ±2
d) None of these

ISI-2010

11. If a, b, c are in A.P., then the value of the determinant

𝑥 + 2 𝑥 + 3 𝑥 + 2𝑎
[𝑥 + 3 𝑥 + 4 𝑥 + 2𝑏 ] 𝑖𝑠
𝑥 + 4 𝑥 + 5 𝑥 + 2𝑐
(A) b2-4ac
(B) ab+bc+ca
(C) 2b-a-c
(D) 3b+a+c

ISI-2009
18. For what value of ‘a’ does the following equation have a unique solution?
𝑥 𝑎 2
[2 𝑥 0] = 0
2 1 1
(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) 2
(D) 4

19. Let
𝑓(𝑥) 𝑔(𝑥) ℎ(𝑥)
𝑦=[ 𝑙 𝑚 𝑛 ]
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
Where l, m, n, a, b, c are non-zero numbers. Then dy/dx equals?
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) 𝑔′ (𝑥) ℎ′ (𝑥)
(A) [ 𝑙 𝑚 𝑛 ]
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) 𝑔′ (𝑥) ℎ′ (𝑥)
(B) [ 𝑙 𝑚 𝑛 ]
0 0 0
𝑓 ′ (𝑥) 𝑔′ (𝑥) ℎ′ (𝑥)
(C) [ 0 0 0 ]
0 0 0
(D) None of the above

ISI-2008
27. A square matrix of order n is said to be a bistochastic matrix if all it’s entries are non-negative
and each of it’s rows and columns sum to 1. Let 𝑦𝑛∗1 = 𝑃𝑛∗𝑛 . 𝑥𝑛∗1 where elements of y are some re-
arrangements of the elements of x. Then
a) P is bistochastic with diagonal elements 1

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

b) P cannot be bistochastic
c) P is bistochastic with elements 0 & 1
d) P is a unit matrix

ISI-2007
x 3 4
6. The equation 1 2 1 = 0 is satisfied by
1 8 1

(A) x = 1 ; (B) x = 3 ; (C) x = 4 ; (D) none of these.

ISI - 2005
1 −1
3. If 𝐴 = ( ) , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝐴100 + 𝐴5 𝑖𝑠
2 −2
0 0
(A) ( )
0 0
1 −1
(B) ( )
2 −2
−1 1
(C) ( )
−2 2
(D) None of the above

29. The system of equations:

x+y+z=6
x+ay-z=1
2x+2y+bz=12
Has a unique solution if and only if
(A) 𝑎≠1
(B) 𝑏≠2
(C) 𝑎𝑏 ≠ 2𝑎 + 𝑏 + 2
(D) None of the above

ISI-2006
8. If 𝑥 3 = 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
∆= [𝑏 𝑐 𝑎] , 𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑠
𝑐 𝑎 𝑏
1 𝑏 𝑐
a. (𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎) [ 𝑥 𝑐 𝑎]
𝑥2 𝑎 𝑏
𝑥 𝑏 𝑐
b. (𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎) [ 1 𝑐 𝑎]
𝑥2 𝑎 𝑏
𝑥2 𝑏 𝑐
2
c. (𝑐𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎) [ 𝑥 𝑐 𝑎]
1 𝑎 𝑏
1 𝑏 𝑐
d. (𝑐𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎) [𝑥 2 𝑐 𝑎]
𝑥 𝑎 𝑏

Other problems:
2 5 1 0
1. If 𝐴 = ( ) &𝐼 =( ) then A2-3A-13I equals
3 1 0 1
(A) 0
(B) 1
0 0
(C) ( )
0 0

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

(D) None of the above

2. The number of solutions to

x+y=2
y+z=2
2x + 2y + z = 5
is
(A) Infinite
(B) Zero
(C) One
(D) More than one but finite

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑥 𝑥 1
𝑓(𝑥)
3. Let 𝑓(𝑥) = |2𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑥 𝑥2 2𝑥 | , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 lim 𝑥 2 𝑖𝑠
𝑥→0
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑥 𝑥 1
(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) -1
(D) None of the above

4. The following matrix

1 1 1 1
2 1 0 −1
[ ]
4 1 0 1
8 1 0 −1
(A) Is singular and the rank is 3
(B) Is singular and the rank is less than 3
(C) Is non-singular and the determinant is -12
(D) None of these

5. If a1, a2, a3,…. are in G.P., then the value of

𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+1 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+2
∆= |𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+3 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+4 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+5 | 𝑖𝑠
𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+6 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+7 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+8
(A) 𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑛+8 ) − 2𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎𝑛+4
(B) 𝑙𝑜𝑔(𝑎1 𝑎3 ) − 2𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑎2
(C) 0
(D) 1

6. The values of (a,b) for which the following system of equations

𝑎𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 𝑧 = 5
2𝑥 − 𝑦 + 2𝑎𝑧 = 3
𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 𝑎𝑧 = 𝑏
Is inconsistent, are
66
(A) (𝑎 ≠ 1, 𝑏 = 6) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑎 ≠ −1, 𝑏 = )
5
66
(B) (𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 ≠ 6) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑎 ≠ −1, 𝑏 = )
5
66
(C) (𝑎 ≠ 1, 𝑏 = 6) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑎 = −1, 𝑏 ≠ )
5
66
(D) (𝑎 = 1, 𝑏 ≠ 6) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑎 = −1, 𝑏 ≠ )
5

DSE – 2011
5. For a system of linear equations 𝐴𝑥 = 𝑏 with m equations and n variables, where m >n and b is a
given vector, the following is true
a) It can never have a unique solution
b) It always has at least one solution
c) It has at least a one-dimensional solution space

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

d) If Rank(A) = n and a solution exists, it must be unique

DSE – 2012

DSE - 2011

DSE-2010
16. Consider a 3*3 nonsingular matrix A with real entries. If the matrix B is derived from A by
interchanging the first and last columns of A, then the determinant of B, denoted by det B, is equal to
(A) Det A
(B) - det A
(C) 0
(D) 1 / det A

Other Problems
ISI 2019 – 25, 30 DSE 2019 – 20, 26, 38
ISI 2018 – 6, 17, 18 DSE 2018 - 6
ISI 2017(Actual) – 8, 14, 28 DSE 2017 – 24, 25
ISI 2017 - 23 DSE 2016 – 4, 39
ISI 2015 – 5 DSE 2015 – 8, 35, 36

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 ET Matrices; Determinants & Misc. Questions

DSE 2014 – 2, 17
DSE 2013 - 25
DSE 2009-23, 24
DSE 2008-16, 19, 51, 53
DSE 2007-12, 15
DSE 2006 – 14, 16

Miscellaneous Questions

Complex Numbers

Basic Formulae:

1 1
1. If 𝑎 + = 2𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛼 , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛 + 𝑛 𝑖𝑠
𝑎 𝑎
(A) 2𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑛 𝛼
(B) 2𝑛 cos (𝑛𝛼)
(C) 2cos (𝑛𝛼)
(D) None of these
𝜋 𝜋
2. Let 𝑥𝑛 = 𝐶𝑜𝑠 + 𝑖𝑆𝑖𝑛 2𝑛 , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
2𝑛
𝑥1 . 𝑥2 . 𝑥3 … . . → ∞ will be

(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) -1
(D) 𝜋

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