The matrix trace calculator works out trace 22, trace 33 and trace 44 from a1, a1, a1, b2, b2, b2, c3, c3 and d4. Enter what you have and the relationship is applied straight away, so you get the answer without working through the algebra yourself.
What Is the Matrix Trace Calculator?
The matrix trace calculator works through a1, a1, a1, b2, b2, b2, c3, c3 and d4 to give you trace 22, trace 33 and trace 44.
It is aimed at the case where you know the method but not the arithmetic: schoolwork, a quick check on a worked example, or a figure that needs to be right first time.
How the Matrix Trace Works
Each step is applied in order and depends only on the values before it, which makes it possible to follow the calculation rather than take it on trust.
If you are working through the same problem by hand afterwards, compare the intermediate values. That is where a mistake usually shows itself.
Checking Your Own Working
Round sensibly as you go and keep the full precision in the calculator. Rounding too early is the most common way of getting a right method to give a wrong answer.
Where a result should be a whole number, such as a count, check it against the constraint that produced it. A fraction of a person is a sign that something upstream needs revisiting.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with a1 set to 10, a1 set to 5, a1 set to 2, the calculator returns trace 22 of 110, and trace 33 of 17, and trace 44 of 117. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out trace 22?
Enter a1, a1, a1, b2, b2, b2, c3, c3 and d4. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports trace 22, trace 33 and trace 44.
What does the matrix trace actually calculate?
It takes a1, a1, a1, b2, b2, b2, c3, c3 and d4 and converts them into trace 22, trace 33 and trace 44 using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter a1?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Is the answer exact?
It is as exact as the formula and the inputs allow. The method itself is the standard one for this problem, so the only sources of error are the figures you enter and the precision you ask for.
Do I have to fill in every field?
Only the fields a particular result depends on. If you leave one blank, the results that need it simply show a note instead of a number, and everything else still works.