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November 16th, 2009, 08:26 PM
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| | Multiplication of Matrices The question is:
Let A= [2 5, -3 1] and B=[4 -5, 3 k]
I don't know if this will represent A and B better:
[2 , 5] [4 , -5]
[-3 , 1] [3 , k]
What value(s) of k, if any, will make AB=BA?
I got no values of k, but the back of my book claims the answer is (k-5). Can anyone tell me if I am right or wrong?
Thanks,
jarny | 
November 16th, 2009, 08:30 PM
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by jarny The question is:
Let A= [2 5, -3 1] and B=[4 -5, 3 k]
What value(s) of k, if any, will make AB=BA?
I got no values of k, but the back of my book claims the answer is (k-5). Can anyone tell me if I am right or wrong?
Thanks,
jarny |
If you meant to write that your book's answer is  then your book's right.
Tonio | | The following users thank tonio for this useful post: | |  | 
November 16th, 2009, 08:38 PM
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| | I got A*B= [23 (5k-10), -9 k+15]
and B*A= [23 15, (6-3k) (k+15)]
Oh okay when I write it on the computer I see I didn't see a negative next to my nine the first time I did it. Thanks tonio | 
November 16th, 2009, 09:12 PM
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| | Quote:
Originally Posted by jarny I got A*B= [23 (5k-10), -9 k+15]
and B*A= [23 15, (6-3k) (k+15)]
Oh okay when I write it on the computer I see I didn't see a negative next to my nine the first time I did it. Thanks tonio |
Fine, but a piece of advise: do not do mathematics with your computer! Grab a pencil (or a pen), a sheet of paper (or better: 37436 sheets of paper) and begin to write. Much better if you can get chalk and a blackboard.
After you do maths this way, then you can go to the puter and write it down nicely.
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