Algebra - inverse of complex numbers

In summary, the individual has a question about finding the eigenvectors of a given matrix. They mention getting complex numbers and ask if it is possible to take the inverse of a matrix with complex numbers. The responder advises that there should be no issue with inverting a matrix with complex numbers as long as the determinant is nonzero. They also state that they will not do the calculations for the individual.
  • #1
bemigh
30
0
Hey, i have an algebra question. I have the matrix
0.3 0.3 0.3
0.4 0.4 0.5
0.3 0.2 0.3
Now, i need to find the eigenvectors for this. However, when i did this, i got complex numbers. I need to find the inverse of this matrix, is there a way to take the inverse a matrix with complex numbers? or did i do something wrong along the way??
Cheers
 
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  • #2
I don't know if u did something wrong along the way,i'm not going to do the arithmetics for you.I'll just tell you that there is no problem with inverting a matrix from [tex] \mathcal{M}_{3}(\mathbb{C}) [/tex]...As long as the determinant is nonzero,of course...

Daniel.
 
  • #3


Hi there,

First of all, great job on finding the eigenvectors for the matrix! It is not uncommon to get complex numbers as eigenvectors, especially for matrices with non-real eigenvalues.

To find the inverse of a matrix with complex numbers, we can use the same process as finding the inverse of a real number matrix. The only difference is that we need to use the complex number operations, such as conjugates and complex division.

In your case, you can follow these steps to find the inverse of the matrix:

1. Find the determinant of the matrix. If you are not familiar with finding determinants of 3x3 matrices, you can use an online calculator or software to help you.

2. Take the conjugate of each element in the matrix. For example, the conjugate of 0.3 is 0.3 and the conjugate of 0.4+0.5i is 0.4-0.5i.

3. Replace each element with its conjugate and divide by the determinant found in step 1. This will give you the adjugate matrix.

4. Finally, take the transpose of the adjugate matrix to get the inverse of the original matrix.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions. Good luck!
 

1. What is the definition of the inverse of a complex number in algebra?

The inverse of a complex number is another complex number that, when multiplied by the original complex number, results in a product of 1. In other words, it is the "reciprocal" of the original complex number.

2. How do you find the inverse of a complex number?

To find the inverse of a complex number, you can use the formula: z-1 = a/(a2 + b2) - bi/(a2 + b2), where z is the original complex number a and b are the real and imaginary parts, respectively.

3. Can you have an inverse of a complex number with a zero imaginary part?

Yes, you can have an inverse of a complex number with a zero imaginary part. In this case, the inverse would just be the reciprocal of the real part, since the imaginary part would be zero.

4. Is the inverse of a complex number always a complex number?

Yes, the inverse of a complex number is always a complex number. This is because the inverse is defined as another complex number, and complex numbers are closed under multiplication.

5. What is the relationship between the inverse of a complex number and its conjugate?

The inverse of a complex number is equal to its conjugate divided by the modulus (or absolute value) squared. In mathematical notation, this can be written as: z-1 = z̄ / |z|2, where is the conjugate of z.

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