NAME ______________________________________________ DATE______________________________ PERIOD ______________

3-5 Study Guide and Intervention

Operations with Matrices
Analyze Data Once data are organized in a matrix, they can be analyzed and interpreted. Sometimes, the sums or
averages of rows or columns provide further analysis. Other times, the sums or averages provide data that are
meaningless.

Example: The table shows ticket prices for a concert.

a. What is the average student ticket price?
To find the average student ticket price, add the
elements of the second column and divide by 2.

12+15
2

= 13.5

So, the average student ticket price is $13.50.

Chapter 3

31

Glencoe Algebra 2

NAME ______________________________________________ DATE______________________________ PERIOD ______________

Studen
Child
Adult
t
Cost Purchased in
Advance

$6

$12

$18

Cost Purchased at
the Door

$8

$15

$22

Chapter 3

31

Glencoe Algebra 2

NAME ______________________________________________ DATE______________________________ PERIOD ______________

b. What is the average price for a ticket purchased at the door?

8+15+22
3

= 15

The average price for a ticket purchased at the door is $15.

c. Would adding the rows provide any meaningful information? Explain your reasoning.
No. The sum of a row provides the total of the prices. This total provides no useful information.

Exercise
CONSTRUCTION During each of the last three weeks,
a road-building crew has used three truckloads of gravel.
The table at the right shows the amount of gravel in each
load.

Chapter 3

Week 1

31

Week 2

Week 3

Load 1

40 tons

Load 1

40 tons

Load 1

32 tons

Load 2

32 tons

Load 2

40 tons

Load 2

24 tons

Load 3

24 tons

Load 3

32 tons

Load 3

24 tons

Glencoe Algebra 2

a. Determine the average amount of gravel used in Week 2.

b. What was the total amount of gravel delivered by Load 2?
c. Which load delivered the most gravel per load?
d. During which week was the average load the greatest?

Chapter 3

32

Glencoe Algebra 2

3-5 Study Guide and Intervention (continued)

Operations with Matrices
Algebraic Operations Matrices with the same dimensions can be added together or one can be subtracted
from the other.

[ ] [ ] [
[ ] [ ] [

Addition of Matrices

Subtraction of Matrices

a b c
d e f
g h i

j k l
m n o
p q r

a+ j b+ k c +l
d+ m e+n f +o
g+ p h+q i+r

a b c
d e f
g h i

j k l
m n o
p q r

a j bk
dm en
g p hq

cl
f o
ir

Example 1: Perform the indicated operations. If the matrix does not exist, write impossible.
a.

[
[

6 7
2 12

] [
] [
[
[

6 7
2 12

Chapter 3

]
]

4
2
5 6

4
2
5 6

b.

6+ 4
7+2
2+(5) 12+(6)

10 5
3 18

32

[ ] [ ]
[ ] [ ]
2 8
3 4
10 7

4 3
2 1
6 8

2 8
3 4
10 7

4 3
2 1
6 8

[ ]

24
8(3)
3(2) 41
10(6)
78

6 11
5 5
16 1

Glencoe Algebra 2

You can multiply an m n matrix by a scalar k.

Scalar Multiplication

Example 2: Find 4

12
6
15 4
6 13 9 8

12
6
15 4
6 13 9 8

] [
=

4(12) 4(6)
4(15) 4(4)
4 (6) 4 (13) 4(9) 4 (8)

Exercises
Perform the indicated operations. If the matrix does not exist, write impossible.
1.

8
7
10 6

4 5
3. 3
2 3

] [

4
3
2 12

2.

4. 2

6 5 9
3 4 5

[ ]
8 1
0 5
6 6

] [
+

+4

4 3 2
6 9 4

1 0 1
5 10 15