Solved: [M] Read the documentation for your matrix

Chapter 2, Problem 35E

(choose chapter or problem)

Problem 35E

[M] Read the documentation for your matrix program, and write the commands that will produce the following matrices (without keying in each entry of the matrix).

a. A 4 × 5 matrix of zeros

b. A 5 × 3 matrix of ones

c. The 5 × 5 identity matrix

d. A 4 × 4 diagonal matrix, with diagonal entries 3, 4, 2, 5

A useful way to test new ideas in matrix algebra, or to make conjectures, is to make calculations with matrices selected at random. Checking a property for a few matrices does not prove that the property holds in general, but it makes the property more believable. Also, if the property is actually false, making a few calculations may help to discover this.