FAQs in C: Program to Add Two Matrices

Learn how to write a C program to add two matrices. Follow our detailed algorithm and step-by-step breakdown to understand matrix addition, complete with example code and explanations.

Adding Two Matrices in C

Matrix addition is a basic operation in linear algebra, frequently used in various computational tasks. In this post, we’ll write a C program to add two matrices and provide a clear algorithm and step-by-step breakdown to help you understand the process.

Algorithm to Add Two Matrices

Step 1: Initialize Matrices: Define and initialize two matrices, A and B,  
        of the same dimensions.

Step 2: Check Dimensions: Ensure both matrices have the same dimensions.

Step 3: Create Result Matrix: Create a matrix C to store the sum of A and B.

Step 4: Add Matrices: Use nested loops to iterate through each element of 
        the matrices and add corresponding elements.

Step 5: Store Results: Store the result in the corresponding element of 
        matrix C.

Step 6: Display Result: Print the resulting matrix C.

Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Algorithm to Add two Matrices

Initialize Matrices:

• Define the dimensions of the matrices (e.g., 2×2, 3×3).
• Initialize two matrices A and B with predefined values.

Check Dimensions:

• Ensure both matrices have the same number of rows and columns.

Create Result Matrix:

• Define a matrix C with the same dimensions as A and B to store the result.

Add Matrices:

• Use nested loops to traverse each element in the matrices.
• Add the corresponding elements from matrices A and B and store the results in matrix C.

Store Results:

• Continue adding elements until all elements are processed.

Display the Result:

• Print the resulting matrix C.

C Program to Add Two Matrices

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int rows, columns;

    // Define the size of the matrices
    printf("Enter the number of rows: ");
    scanf("%d", &rows);
    printf("Enter the number of columns: ");
    scanf("%d", &columns);

    int A[rows][columns], B[rows][columns], C[rows][columns];

    // Input elements of the first matrix
    printf("Enter elements of matrix A:\n");
    for(int i = 0; i < rows; ++i) {
        for(int j = 0; j < columns; ++j) {
            printf("A[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
            scanf("%d", &A[i][j]);
        }
    }

    // Input elements of the second matrix
    printf("Enter elements of matrix B:\n");
    for(int i = 0; i < rows; ++i) {
        for(int j = 0; j < columns; ++j) {
            printf("B[%d][%d] = ", i, j);
            scanf("%d", &B[i][j]);
        }
    }

    // Add the two matrices
    for(int i = 0; i < rows; ++i) {
        for(int j = 0; j < columns; ++j) {
            C[i][j] = A[i][j] + B[i][j];
        }
    }

    // Display the result
    printf("Resultant matrix C after addition:\n");
    for(int i = 0; i < rows; ++i) {
        for(int j = 0; j < columns; ++j) {
            printf("%d ", C[i][j]);
        }
        printf("\n");
    }

    return 0;
}

Explanation

• Input Elements: The program prompts the user to enter the number of rows and columns. It then takes input for the elements of matrices A and B.

• Addition Process: Nested loops traverse through each element of the matrices, adding corresponding elements from A and B and storing the results in C.

• Display Result: Finally, the program prints the resulting matrix C.

Summary

Adding two matrices is a fundamental operation in C programming. This step-by-step guide and the provided code demonstrate how to implement matrix addition efficiently. With practice, you can extend this basic program to handle more complex matrix operations and dimensions.