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Exercise 1048Linear algebra › Matrices and linear systemsL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Block multiplication

#block matrices#multiplication#structure

Statement

Let
M=(AB0C)M = \begin{pmatrix} A & B \\ 0 & C \end{pmatrix}
be a block matrix where AA and CC are square and invertible. Show that MM is invertible and compute M−1M^{-1} in block form.

Hint

Look for an inverse of the form (XY0Z)\begin{pmatrix} X & Y \\ 0 & Z \end{pmatrix} and solve the block equations.

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Solution

Setup. Let M−1=(XY0Z)M^{-1} = \begin{pmatrix} X & Y \\ 0 & Z \end{pmatrix} (the lower-left block must be zero because the product with the lower-left block of MM is zero and the upper blocks are invertible). Then
MM−1=(AX+0AY+BZ0CZ)=(I00I).MM^{-1} = \begin{pmatrix} AX+0 & AY+BZ \\ 0 & CZ \end{pmatrix} = \begin{pmatrix} I & 0 \\ 0 & I \end{pmatrix}.

Solving. From CZ=ICZ = I, we get Z=C−1Z = C^{-1}. From AX=IAX = I, we get X=A−1X = A^{-1}. From AY+BZ=0AY + BZ = 0, we get Y=−A−1BZ=−A−1BC−1Y = -A^{-1}BZ = -A^{-1}BC^{-1}.

Conclusion.
M−1=(A−1−A−1BC−10C−1).M^{-1} = \begin{pmatrix} A^{-1} & -A^{-1}BC^{-1} \\ 0 & C^{-1} \end{pmatrix}.