Name:_________________________________ 1

Talking in Code Using Matrices

What is a Matrix? It Is a rectangular array of numbers.

[ ]
4 16
63 55

How are we going to use matrices to talk in code?

First, we assign every letter a number.
Space =0 A=1 B=2 C=3 D=4 E=5

F=6 G=7 H=8 I=9 J=10 K=11

L=12 M=13 N=14 O=15 P=16
Q=17 R=18 S=19 T=20 U=21
V=22 W=23 X=24 Y=25 Z=26

Let’s take the word MATH

[ ]=[ ]
M A
T H

Use https://www.desmos.com/matrix to calculate the matrices

 2

Now we need an encoding

Matrix
We will multiply our word by this matrix to
encrypt it so no one can guess it!

[ ] 34
3
36
41

Now we multiply our word by the encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
Next, take your answer from your last step and multiply it by

34 36
the inverse-1 of our encoding matrix to decrypt our message!
3 41
 3

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[
]
____
Example 2
1) Your word in matrix form

[ ]=[ ]
Write this side of
D U the equation into
the first bracket of
C K
step 2.

2) Multiply by encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
34 36
3 41

3) Multiply by the inverse of the encoding matrix to decrypt

-1
[ ]x[ 34
3
36
41] =[ ]
4) Change numbers back to letters
 4

[ ]=[ ]
5) Write out your message! ____
 5

Example 3
1) Your word in matrix form

[ ]=[ ]
Write this side of
C H the equation into
the first bracket of
A I step 2.

2) Multiply by encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
34 36
3 41

3) Multiply by the inverse of the encoding matrix to decrypt

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[ ]
34 36
3 41

4) Change numbers back to letters

[ ]=[ ]
5) Write out your message! ____
 6

You Try!
1) Your word in matrix form

[ ]=[ ]
Write this side of
the equation into
the first bracket of
step 2.

____________________________Fold
Here___________________________

2) Multiply by encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
34 36
3 41

3) Multiply by the inverse of the encoding matrix to decrypt

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[ ]
34 36
3 41

4) Change numbers back to letters

[ ]=[ ]
5) Write out your message! ____
Talking in Code Using Matrices
What is a Matrix? It Is a rectangular array of numbers.
 7

[ ]
4 16
63 55

How are we going to use matrices to talk in code?

First, we assign every letter a number.
Space =0 A=1 B=2 C=3 D=4 E=5

F=6 G=7 H=8 I=9 J=10 K=11

L=12 M=13 N=14 O=15 P=16
Q=17 R=18 S=19 T=20 U=21
V=22 W=23 X=24 Y=25 Z=26

Let’s take the word MATH

[ ]=[ ]
M A 13 1

T H 20 8

Use https://www.desmos.com/matrix to calculate the matrices

 8

Now we need an encoding

Matrix
We will multiply our word by this matrix to
encrypt it so no one can guess it!

[ ] 34
3
36
41

Now we multiply our word by the encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
13 1 34 36 445 509

20 8 3 41 704 1048

Next, take your answer from your last step and multiply it by

445 509 34 36 13 1
the inverse-1 of our encoding matrix to decrypt our message!
704 1048 3 41 20 8
 9

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[
]
____
M A T H

Example 2
1) Your word in matrix form

[ ]=[ ]
Write this side of
D U 4 21 the equation into
the first bracket of
C K 3 11 step 2.

2) Multiply by encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
4 21 34 36 199 1005

3 11 3 41 135 559

3) Multiply by the inverse of the encoding matrix to decrypt

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[ ]
199 1005 34 36 4 21
135 559 3 41 3 11

4) Change numbers back to letters

4 21 D U

3 11 C K
 10

[ ]=[ ]
5) Write out your message! ____
D U C K
 11

Example 3
1) Your word in matrix form

[ ]=[ ]
Write this side of
C H 3 8
the equation into
1 9 the first bracket of
A I step 2.

2) Multiply by encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
3 8 34 36 126 436
1 9 3 41 61 405

3) Multiply by the inverse of the encoding matrix to decrypt

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[ ]
126 436 34 36 3 8
61 405 3 41 1 9

4) Change numbers back to letters

[ ]=[ ]
3 8 C H
1 9 A I

5) Write out your message! ____

C H A I
 12

You Try!
Students will complete step one and then trade with another student for the rest of the steps to
find each other’s secret word.

1) Your word in matrix form

[ ]=[ ]
Write this side of
the equation into
the first bracket of
step 2.

____________________________Fold
Here___________________________

2) Multiply by encoding matrix

[ ]x[ ]=[ ]
34 36
3 41

3) Multiply by the inverse of the encoding matrix to decrypt

-1
[ ]x[ ] =[ ]
34 36
3 41

4) Change numbers back to letters

[ ]=[ ]
5) Write out your message! ____