15-8 Matrices
M1  
2
To divide by a 
square matrix
For division of a matrix or a vector by a square matrix, 
the number of rows of the dividend (or the number of 
elements, if it is a vector) must equal the number of rows 
in the divisor.
This operation is not a mathematical division: it is a left- 
multiplication by the inverse of the divisor. M1/M2 is 
equivalent to M2
–1
 * M1.
To divide the two matrices M1 and M2 that you created 
for the previous example, press the following keys:
M1  
M2 
To invert a matrix You can invert a square matrix in HOME by typing the 
matrix (or its variable name) and pressing   x
–1 
. Or you can use the matrix INVERSE command. 
Enter INVERSE(matrixname) in HOME and press 
.
To negate each 
element
You can change the sign of each element in a matrix by 
pressing   before the matrix name.
Solving systems of linear equations
Example Solve the following linear system:
1. Open the Matrix 
catalog and create a 
vector. 
MATRIX 
 
2x 3y 4z++ 5
xyz–+7
4xy–2z+1
=
=
=
HP 39gs English.book  Page 8  Wednesday, December 7, 2005  11:24 PM