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How to construct the left-multiplication matrix from "Multiply the first row by -3 and add to the second row, multiply by -4 and add to the third row"?

To construct the left-multiplication matrix, treat the rows of the original matrix as abstract vectors r1,r2,r3r_1, r_2, r_3. Write the new rows as linear combinations of the old rows based on the specified operations. The coefficients of these linear combinations form the rows of the operation matrix.

Conditions

  • The operation acts on a 3-row matrix.
  • The operations are R2←R2−3R1R_2 \leftarrow R_2 - 3R_1 and R3←R3−4R1R_3 \leftarrow R_3 - 4R_1.

Reasoning, step by step

  1. Denote the original rows as r1,r2,r3r_1, r_2, r_3.
  2. Apply the first operation: the new second row is −3r1+r2-3r_1 + r_2.
  3. Apply the second operation: the new third row is −4r1+r3-4r_1 + r_3.
  4. The first row remains unchanged: r1r_1.
  5. Extract the coefficients of r1,r2,r3r_1, r_2, r_3 for each new row to form the rows of the matrix: [1,0,0][1, 0, 0], [−3,1,0][-3, 1, 0], and [−4,0,1][-4, 0, 1].

Example

The video derives X1=[100−310−401]X_1 = \begin{bmatrix}1&0&0\\-3&1&0\\-4&0&1\end{bmatrix} by writing the transformed rows as r1r_1, −3r1+r2-3r_1+r_2, and −4r1+r3-4r_1+r_3.

Common misconceptions

  • Expanding the numerical values of the rows immediately instead of tracking them as symbols.
  • Forgetting that the coefficients of the linear combination form the rows of the left-multiplying matrix.

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