Question

Matrix A has dimensions 1 x 4. Matrix B has dimensions 5 x 1. These two matrices can be multiplied.True or false

Answer 1

Answer:

the answer is false

Step-by-step explanation:

First of all remember the first number represent the number of rows and the second number represents the number of columns, for example 1x4 means the matrix has 1 row and 4 columns.

In order to multiply two matrices, the number of column of the first matrix must be the same equal to the number of rows of the second matriz, so that each element can multiply another element.  In this case we have

1x4  *   5x1,    

the number of columns of the first matrix (4) is not the same than the number of row of the second matrix (5), consequently there will be one element that will not have another element to be multiplied.

For example:

matrix 1                  matrix 2

a                              a    

b                              b

c                              c  

d                              d

(no element)           e

the element "a" of the first matrix multiply the element "a" of the second. the element "b" of the first matrix multiply the element "b" of the second and so on. You can see that the there is no element e for the first matrix and hence the element e of the second matrix will not have a element to be multiplied.

Answer 2

False they cannot be multiplied because there will be a number left out if you multiply 1*4 and 5*1 the two numbers in the middle arent the same.