Find inverse of a matrix using elementary row operations

The inverse of a non-singular matrix can be found by using elementary row

operations.When a matrix A is changed into another matrix B after using
elementary row operations,the matrices A and B are said to be equivalent.
To find the inverse of a matrix A, start by writing the matrix in the form
(A I) and change it by elementary row operations into (I B) .The resulting
matrix B is the inverse of A.
Procedure:
Step 1: Obtain a 1 in the first position on the leading diagonal.
Step 2 : Obtain zeros under 1 in the first column.
Step 3 : Obtain a 1 in the second position on the leading diagonal.
Step 4 : Obtain a zero under 1 in the second column.
Step 5 : Obtain a 1 in the third position on the leading diagonal.
Finally, obtain zeros above all the 1s.








Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4 Step 5
Example:
Consider the matrix A = (



) be a 3 3 matrix and
I = (



) be the corresponding identity matrix.

By writing the columns of the matrices A and I side by side, we have that is
called an augmented matrix, represented by (A I) where
(







)
We now use the elementary row operations on the augmented matrix in a
systematic manner, the whole idea being to transform the left half of the
augmented matrix into an identity matrix, and the right half then becomes
the inverse of matrix A, i.e. to transform ( A I) to the form ( I A
-1
).

Using elementary row operations:
(







) (







)
(







)
(







)
R
1
R
2

(-2)R
1
+ R
2
R
2

(-2)R
1
+ R
3
R
3

(







)
(







)
(







)
=( I A
-1
)

R
1
+ R
2
R
1

(-3)R
3
+ R
2
R
2

(-2)R
3
+ R
1
R
1