Elementary Linear Algebra 7th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1-13311-087-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-13311-087-3

Appendix - Mathematical Induction and Other Forms of Proofs - Exercises - Page A6: 20

Answer

See the proof below.

Work Step by Step

Consider the following statement: If $A$ and $B$ are square matrices of order $n$ such that $\det\left(AB\right)=1$ then both $A$ and $B$ are nonsingular. We will prove by contradiction that the statement is true. $\textbf{Proof: }$ Suppose there exist square matrices $A$ and $B$ of order $n$ with at least one of them singular such that $\det\left(AB\right)=1$. First, please remember that the determinant of a singular square matrix is $0$. Thus, since at least one of the matrices $A$ and $B$ is singular it follows that at least one of the numbers $\det\left(A\right)$ or $\det\left(B\right)$ is $0$ which gives us that $$\det\left(A\right)\det\left(B\right)=0.$$ Now, recall that $$\det\left(AB\right)=\det\left(A\right)\det\left(B\right)$$ and therefore, we obtain that $\det\left(AB\right)=0$ which contradicts the fact that $\det\left(AB\right)=1$. Hence, $A$ and $B$ are both nonsingular.
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