Matrix Rank

This lesson introduces the concept of matrix rank and explains how the rank of a matrix is
revealed by its echelon form.

The Rank of a Matrix

You can think of an r x c matrix as a set of r row vectors, each having c elements; or you can
think of it as a set of c column vectors, each having r elements.
The rank of a matrix is defined as (a) the maximum number of linearly
independent column vectors in the matrix or (b) the maximum number of linearly
independent row vectors in the matrix. Both definitions are equivalent.
For an r x c matrix,

If r is less than c, then the maximum rank of the matrix is r.

If r is greater than c, then the maximum rank of the matrix is c.

The rank of a matrix would be zero only if the matrix had no elements. If a matrix had even
one element, its minimum rank would be one.

How to Find Matrix Rank

In this section, we describe a method for finding the rank of any matrix. This method assumes
familiarity with echelon matrices and echelon transformations.
The maximum number of linearly independent vectors in a matrix is equal to the number of
non-zero rows in its row echelon matrix. Therefore, to find the rank of a matrix, we simply
transform the matrix to its row echelon form and count the number of non-zero rows.
Consider matrix A and its row echelon matrix, Aref. Previously, we showed how to find the row
echelon form for matrix A.
0 1 2
1 2 1

1 2 1

0 1 2

2 7 8

0 0 0

Aref

Because the row echelon form Aref has two non-zero rows, we know that matrix A has two
independent row vectors; and we know that the rank of matrix A is 2.

You can verify that this is correct. Row 1 and Row 2 of matrix A are linearly independent.
However, Row 3 is a linear combination of Rows 1 and 2. Specifically, Row 3 = 3*( Row 1 ) + 2*(
Row 2). Therefore, matrix A has only two independent row vectors.

Full Rank Matrices

When all of the vectors in a matrix are linearly independent, the matrix is said to be full rank.
Consider the matrices A and B below.

A=

1 2 3
2 4 6

1 0 2
B=

2 1 0
3 2 1

Notice that row 2 of matrix A is a scalar multiple of row 1; that is, row 2 is equal to twice row
1. Therefore, rows 1 and 2 are linearly dependent. Matrix A has only one linearly independent
row, so its rank is 1. Hence, matrix A is not full rank.
Now, look at matrix B. All of its rows are linearly independent, so the rank of matrix B is 3.
Matrix B is full rank.

Test Your Understanding of This Lesson

Problem 1
Consider the matrix X, shown below.

X=

1 2 4 4
3 4 8 0

What is its rank?

(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) 2
(D) 3
(E) 4
Solution
The correct answer is (C). Since the matrix has more than zero elements, its rank must be
greater than zero. And since it has fewer rows than columns, its maximum rank is equal to the

maximum number of linearly independent rows. And because neither row is linearly dependent
on the other row, the matrix has 2 linearly independent rows; so its rank is 2.
Problem 2
Consider the matrix Y, shown below.
1 2 3
Y=

2 3 5
3 4 7
4 5 9

What is its rank?

(A) 0
(B) 1
(C) 2
(D) 3
(E) 4
Solution
The correct answer is (C). Since the matrix has more than zero elements, its rank must be
greater than zero. And since it has fewer columns than rows, its maximum rank is equal to the
maximum number of linearly independent columns.
Columns 1 and 2 are independent, because neither can be derived as a scalar multiple of the
other. However, column 3 is linearly dependent on columns 1 and 2, because column 3 is equal
to column 1 plus column 2. That leaves the matrix with a maximum of two linearly independent
columns; e.g., column 1 and column 2. So the matrix rank is 2.

How to Change a Matrix Into its Echelon Form

This lesson shows how to convert a matrix to its row echelon form and to its reduced row
echelon form.

Echelon Forms
A matrix is in row echelon form (ref) when it satisfies the following conditions.

The first non-zero element in each row, called the leading entry, is 1.

Each leading entry is in a column to the right of the leading entry in the previous row.

Rows with all zero elements, if any, are below rows having a non-zero element.

A matrix is in reduced row echelon form (rref) when it satisfies the following conditions.

The matrix is in row echelon form (i.e., it satisfies the three conditions listed above).

The leading entry in each row is the only non-zero entry in its column.

A matrix in echelon form is called an echelon matrix. Matrix A and matrix B are examples of
echelon matrices.
1 2 3 4

1 2 0 0

0 0 1 3

0 0 1 0

0 0 0 1

0 0 0 1

0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

Matrix A is in row echelon form, and matrix B is in reduced row echelon form.

How to Transform a Matrix Into Its Echelon Forms

Any matrix can be transformed into its echelon forms, using a series of elementary row
operations. Here's how.
1. Pivot the matrix
a. Find the pivot, the first non-zero entry in the first column of the matrix.
b. Interchange rows, moving the pivot row to the first row.
c. Multiply each element in the pivot row by the inverse of the pivot, so the pivot
equals 1.

d. Add multiples of the pivot row to each of the lower rows, so every element in
the pivot column of the lower rows equals 0.
2. To get the matrix in row echelon form, repeat the pivot
.

Repeat the procedure from Step 1 above, ignoring previous pivot rows.
a. Continue until there are no more pivots to be processed.

3. To get the matrix in reduced row echelon form, process non-zero entries above each
pivot.
.

Identify the last row having a pivot equal to 1, and let this be the pivot row.

a. Add multiples of the pivot row to each of the upper rows, until every element
above the pivot equals 0.
b. Moving up the matrix, repeat this process for each row.

Transforming a Matrix Into Its Echelon Forms: An Example

To illustrate the transformation process, let's transform Matrix A to a row echelon form and to
a reduced row echelon form.
0 1 2
1 2 1

1 2 1

0 1 2

1 2 1

0 1 2

1 2 1

0 1 2

1 0 -3

0 1 2

2 7 8

2 7 8

0 3 6

0 0 0

0 0 0

A1

A2

Aref

Arref

To transform matrix A into its echelon forms, we implemented the following series of
elementary row operations.
1. We found the first non-zero entry in the first column of the matrix in row 2; so we
interchanged Rows 1 and 2, resulting in matrix A1.
2. Working with matrix A1, we multiplied each element of Row 1 by -2 and added the
result to Row 3. This produced A2.
3. Working with matrix A2, we multiplied each element of Row 2 by -3 and added the
result to Row 3. This produced Aref. Notice that Aref is in row echelon form, because it
meets the following requirements: (a) the first non-zero entry of each row is 1, (b) the
first non-zero entry is to the right of the first non-zero entry in the previous row, and
(c) rows made up entirely of zeros are at the bottom of the matrix.
4. And finally, working with matrix Aref, we multiplied the second row by -2 and added it
to the first row. This produced Arref. Notice that Arref is in reduced row echelon form,

because it satisfies the requirements for row echelon form plus each leading non-zero
entry is the only non-zero entry in its column.
Note: The row echelon matrix that results from a series of elementary row operations is not
necessarily unique. A different set of row operations could result in a different row echelon
matrix. However, the reduced row echelon matrix is unique; each matrix has only one reduced
row echelon matrix.

Test Your Understanding of This Lesson

Problem 1
Consider the matrix X, shown below.
0 1
X =

1 2
0 5

Which of the following matrices is the reduced row echelon form of matrix X ?

(A) Matrix A
(B) Matrix B
(C) Matrix C
(D) Matrix D
(E) None of the above
Solution
The correct answer is (B). The elementary row operations used to change Matrix X into its
reduced row echelon form are shown below.
0 1
1 2

1 2
0 1

1 2
0 1

1 0
0 1

0 5

0 5

0 0

0 0

X1

X2

Xrref

To change X to its reduced row echelon form, we take the following steps:
1. Interchange Rows 1 and 2, producing X1.
2. In X1, multiply Row 2 by -5 and add it to Row 3, producing X2.
3. In X2, multiply Row 2 by -2 and add it to Row 1, producing Xrref.
Note: Matrix A is not in reduced row echelon form, because the leading entry in Row 2 is to the
left of the leading entry in Row 3; it should be to the right. Matrix C is not in reduced row
echelon form, because column 2 has more than one non-zero entry. And finally, matrix D is not
in reduced row echelon form, because Row 2 with all zeros is followed by a row with a nonzero element; all-zero rows must follow non-zero rows.