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A block matrix inverse expresses the matrix inverse in terms of smaller matrices. Partition a square matrix over a field asIf $A$ is an invertible matrix, define its Schur complement $S=D-C{A}^{-1}B$. Then $M$ is an invertible matrix exactly when $S$ is an invertible matrix, andThe order of the matrix products matters. In particular, the lower-right block is $S^{-1}$, rather than generally $D^{-1}$: the coupling through $B$ and $C$ changes the response.^[ref]

For an original example, takeThe Schur complement is $S=5-1/2-4/3=19/6$. Substitution gives the concise answerMultiplying in either order gives the identity matrix; the lower-right entry is $6/19$, whereas $D^{-1}=1/5$. The difference records the feedback through the two eliminated variables.

Often the desired output is a solution of a linear system, rather than every entry of a matrix inverse. Block elimination solves with $A$ and then with $S$, recovering the eliminated variables by back substitution. Reusing an LU decomposition of $A$ avoids explicitly forming $A^{-1}$. A favourable block diagonal matrix or tridiagonal matrix block can make this useful; merely partitioning an unstructured dense matrix does not guarantee a faster solve.^[ref]

A matrix decomposition expresses a matrix as a matrix product of factors with simpler structure. An LU decomposition uses triangular factors, a QR decomposition uses an orthogonal matrix and a triangular factor, and a singular value decomposition separates input directions, stretching factors and output directions. The factorization is an identity; the chosen structure determines what it helps compute.

For an original two-by-two example,The outer factors are a lower triangular matrix and an upper triangular matrix, each with unit diagonal as in a unit triangular matrix; the middle factor is a diagonal matrix. Their matrix product is $M$, and the final diagonal entry $5/2$ is the Schur complement of the first entry $2$. This is the scalar version of the factorization under block elimination.

To solve $Mz=(3,4{)}^T$, solve with the three factors in their displayed order from left to right: first the lower triangular factor, then the diagonal factor, then the upper triangular factor. The intermediate vectors are $(3,5/2{)}^T$ and $(3/2,1{)}^T$, giving the concise answer $z=(1,1{)}^T$. A new right-hand side uses the same factors. This is why Reusing LU factors for multiple right-hand sides is useful: factorization records work that otherwise would be repeated, while forward substitution and back substitution apply it cheaply.^[ref]

Different decompositions reveal different features. A Cholesky decomposition uses positive definiteness of a symmetric matrix, while a singular value decomposition also applies to rectangular matrices and exposes matrix rank. The existence and numerical behaviour of the factors depend on their own hypotheses; for example, an unpivoted LU decomposition can fail when a chosen pivot element is zero even though the matrix is an invertible matrix.

Let $L_{ik}=1$ when $k\le i$ and $L_{ik}=0$ otherwise. The matrix product has entriesso $A_n=L{L}^T$. Both $L$ and its matrix transpose are triangular matrices with diagonal entries one. Multiplicativity of the determinant therefore gives $\det A_n=(\det L{)}^2=1$ for every $n\ge 1$. This determinant of the minimum-index matrix also follows by subtracting each preceding row from the next, working from the bottom upwards: the resulting matrix is upper triangular with unit diagonal.

For two upper triangular matrices and $i>j$,Indeed a potentially nonzero factor $A_{ik}$ requires $k\ge i$, while a potentially nonzero $B_{kj}$ requires $k\le j$. These requirements cannot both hold when $i>j$. Thus their matrix product is upper triangular.

Direct matrix multiplication for the given $A$ givesAdding $A^3+A^2-A$ yields $I$, so $A(A^2+A-I)=(A^2+A-I)A=I$. HenceEvery nonnegative matrix power is in $\mathrm{span}\{I,A,A^2\}$: reduce powers of degree at least three using $A^3=-A^2+A+I$. More formally, repeated reduction shows that products of any two polynomials of degree at most two in $A$ again lie in this span. Since $A^{-1}$ also lies in it, positive powers of $A^{-1}$ prove the same assertion for all negative integers. This is an instance of the integer powers for an annihilating polynomial with roots one and minus one, because $A^3+A^2-A-I=(A-I)(A+I{)}^2=0$.

To find the required entries for every integer, use the block upper-triangular structure. The top-left entry of $A^n$ is $1$ for positive and negative powers. Its lower-right block isThe identity $(I_2-N{)}^n=I_2-nN$ holds for all integers: multiplication adds the coefficients of $N$, and $(I_2-N{)}^{-1}=I_2+N$ proves the negative cases. ThereforeWrite $s=(-1{)}^n$ and $A^n={\alpha }_n{A}^2+{\beta }_{n}A+{\gamma }_{n}I$. Comparing those three entries givesSubtracting the first two equations finds ${\beta }_n$; the third then finds ${\alpha }_n$, and the first finds ${\gamma }_n$. The unique solution isFor clarity, substituting also gives the full matrix power