Matrix Vocabulary and Definitions

Vocabulary terms and foundational definitions covering matrices, operations, and properties.

Augmented matrix

A matrix found by adding a column of the constant terms to the coefficient matrix of a linear system.

Reciprocal

A property a determinant will have—and the matrix will have an inverse—if the determinant is not zero.

Columns (in matrix multiplication)

The component in the first matrix whose count must match the number of rows in the second matrix before you can multiply two matrices together.

Matrix

A rectangular array of numbers.

Element

A number in a matrix.

Transpose

A related matrix formed by making the rows of a matrix into columns and the columns into rows.

Dimension

The shared property matrices must have in order to be added or subtracted.

Inverses

Two square matrices whose product is the identity matrix.