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Section 12
Calculating With Matrices
The HP 15c enables you to perform matrix calculations, giving you the
capability to handle advanced problems with ease. The calculator can
work with up to five matrices, which are named A through E since they are
accessed using the corresponding A through E keys. The HP 15c lets
you specify the size of each matrix, store and recall the values of matrix
elements, and perform matrix operations—for matrices with real or
complex elements. (A summary of matrix functions is listed at the end of
this section.)
A common application of matrix calculations is solving a system of linear
equations. For example, consider the equations
3.8x
1
+ 7.2x
2
= 16.5
1.3x
1
− 0.9x
2
= −22.1
for which you must determine the values of x
1
and x
2
.
These equations can be expressed in matrix form as AX = B, where
A =
3.8 7.2
1.3 −0.9
, X =
x
1
x
2
, and B =
16.5
−22.1
.
The following keystrokes show how easily you can solve this matrix
problem using your HP 15c. (The matrix operations used in this example
are explained in detail later in this section.)
First, dimension the two known matrices, A and B, and enter the values of
their elements, from left to right along each row from the first row to the
last. Also, designate matrix C as the matrix that you will use to store the
result of your matrix calculation (C = X).
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