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MatrixFunction[f,m]

gives the matrix generated by the scalar function f at the matrix argument m.

Details and Options

Examples

Basic Examples

Scope

Basic Uses

Special Matrices

Options

Method

Applications

Properties & Relations

Possible Issues

Neat Examples

MatrixFunction

MatrixFunction[f,m]

gives the matrix generated by the scalar function f at the matrix argument m.

Details and Options

A matrix function transforms a matrix to another matrix. For convergent power series, MatrixFunction[f,m] effectively evaluates the power series for the function f with ordinary powers replaced by matrix powers. »
The function f should be a unary differentiable or symbolic function.
MatrixFunction works only on square matrices.
MatrixFunction can be used on SparseArray objects and structured arrays.
The following option can be given:
Method Automatic method to use
Possible values for the option Method include:

	Automatic	automatic selection
	"Jordan"	Jordan decomposition
	"Schur"	Schur decomposition with block Parlett recursion
	"SpectralBasis"	spectral method for exact matrices »

The default setting of Method->Automatic uses the Schur decomposition for inexact numerical matrices and, based on matrix contents, selects between the Jordan decomposition and the spectral basis method for exact and symbolic matrices.
The "Schur" method can be specified with method options mopts by Method->{"Schur",mopts}. The following method options can be given:

	"Balanced"	False	whether to balance the input matrix before doing the Schur decomposition
	"BlockSeparationDelta"	Automatic	maximum separation between adjacent eigenvalues in a single Parlett block

Examples

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Basic Examples (3)

Compute the square root of a symbolic matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sqrt, {{a, 1}, {0, b}}]

Verify that it is, indeed, a square root:

Wolfram Language code: %.%//Simplify

Note that this is different from simply computing the square root of each entry:

Wolfram Language code: Sqrt[{{a, 1}, {0, b}}]

Compute the logarithm of a 3×3 matrix m:

Wolfram Language code:

m = {{2., 2., 1.}, {4., 6., 4.}, {3., 6., 8.}};
MatrixFunction[Log, m]

Verify that the exponential of the result is the original matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixExp[%] == m

Compute a matrix polynomial, specifying the polynomial as a pure function:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[x |-> x^5 + 2x^2 + 1, {{a, 0}, {1, b}}]

Scope (11)

Basic Uses (7)

Compute the matrix sine and cosine of a machine-precision matrix:

Wolfram Language code: m = {{1., 1., 0.}, {0., 1., 0.}, {0., 0., 2.}};

Wolfram Language code: cosm = MatrixFunction[Cos, m]

Wolfram Language code: sinm = MatrixFunction[Sin, m]

Test the matrix identity :

Wolfram Language code: sinm.sinm + cosm.cosm == IdentityMatrix[3]

Compute the matrix sine for a complex matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sin, {{1., 2 + I}, {3 + I, 1}}]//MatrixForm

Compute the square root of an exact matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sqrt, {{(5 π/18), (2 π/9)}, {(4 π/9), (π/18)}}]//Simplify

Use 20-digit-precision arithmetic to compute the matrix function of a logarithm of a polynomial:

Wolfram Language code: m = N[{{1, 1 / 2, 1 / 3, 1 / 4}, {0, 1, 1 / 3, 1 / 4}, {0, 0, 1, 1 / 4}, {0, 0, 0, 1}}, 20];

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Log[1 + 2# + 3#^2]&, m]

Compute the matrix sine of a symbolic diagonal matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sin, {{a, 0}, {0, b}}]

Compute the matrix tangent of a symbolic non-diagonal matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Tan, {{a, 0}, {1, b}}]

Compute a matrix function with a symbolic scalar function:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[f, {{1, 2}, {0, 1}}]//Simplify

Use a symbolic matrix with a symbolic scalar function:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[f, {{0, a}, {b, 0}}]//Simplify

Applying a function to a machine-precision matrix is efficient:

Wolfram Language code: m = RandomReal[{0, 1}, {500, 500}];

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Log, m]; //AbsoluteTiming

Special Matrices (4)

Computing a matrix function with a sparse matrix generally produces a normal matrix:

Wolfram Language code: SparseArray[{{i_, i_} -> -2., {i_, j_} /; Abs[i - j] == 1 -> 1.}, {6, 6}]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Exp[-#^2]&, %]//MatrixForm

Compute a matrix polynomial of a structured array:

Wolfram Language code: SymmetrizedArray[{{1, 1} -> 3.5, {2, 2} -> 1.2, {3, 1} -> -5.3}, {3, 3}, Symmetric[All]]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[#^3 + 2 #^1 + 3 #&, %]//MatrixForm

Applying a matrix function to an identity matrix only changes the value of the diagonal elements:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Exp, IdentityMatrix[3]]//MatrixForm

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Log, IdentityMatrix[3]]//MatrixForm

More generally, a function of any diagonal matrix is the function applied to its diagonal elements:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Log, DiagonalMatrix[{a, b, c}]]

Compute the square of HilbertMatrix to 20-digit precision:

Wolfram Language code: N[MatrixFunction[Sqrt, HilbertMatrix[2]], 20]//MatrixForm

Options (5)

Method (5)

The method "Jordan" can work with exact and inexact matrices:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sin[# π]&, {{1 / 2, 1 / 3}, {1 / 3, 1 / 4}}, Method -> "Jordan"]//Simplify

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sin[# π]&, {{1. / 2., 1. / 3.}, {1. / 3., 1. / 4.}}, Method -> "Jordan"]

The method "Schur" works only with inexact (machine- and arbitrary-precision) matrices:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sin[# π]&, {{1 / 2, 1 / 3}, {1 / 3, 1 / 4}}, Method -> "Schur"]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sin[# π]&, {{1. / 2., 1. / 3.}, {1. / 3., 1. / 4.}}, Method -> "Schur"]

If many eigenvalues are very close, they are put in a diagonal-block submatrix, which may become large; computations are then more expensive and convergence may be slow:

Wolfram Language code:

m = (⁠|        |        |        |
| ------ | ------ | ------ |
| 0.0003 | 100.   | 1.     |
| 0      | 0.0002 | 100.   |
| 0      | 0      | 0.0001 |⁠);
f = (1 - #) / Sqrt[1 - #^2]&;

Wolfram Language code: AbsoluteTiming[m1 = MatrixFunction[f, m]]

A smaller value for "BlockSeparationDelta" reduces the diagonal block size and also speeds convergence:

Wolfram Language code: AbsoluteTiming[m2 = MatrixFunction[f, m, Method -> {"Schur", "BlockSeparationDelta" -> 10^-6}]]

But the result may be much less accurate:

Wolfram Language code:

mfinv  = Function[Module[{id = IdentityMatrix[Length[#]]}, Inverse[id + #.#].(id - #.#)]];
{Norm[mfinv[m1] - m], Norm[mfinv[m2] - m]}

When an input matrix is poorly balanced (containing terms of very different magnitudes), balancing may improve the result:

Wolfram Language code:

m = {{1000., 0, 0, 0, 0.3, 0, -1000}, {0, 0.1, 0, 0.2, 0.4, -1000, 3000}, {0, 0, 2000., 0, 0.3, 0.2, -1000}, {0, 0, 0, 1., 0, -1000, 0}, {0, 1000, 0, 0, 0.3, 0.1, 0}, {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0.2, -0.3}, {100, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1.}};
m0 = MatrixFunction[Sqrt, m, Method -> {"Schur", "Balanced" -> True}];
m1 = MatrixFunction[Sqrt, m, Method -> "Schur"];
{Norm[MatrixPower[m0, 2] - m], Norm[MatrixPower[m1, 2] - m]}

When it is applicable, "SpectralBasis" can be orders of magnitude faster than "Jordan":

Wolfram Language code:

mat = {{0, 0, 0, -2, -2, 0, 2, -1}, {0, -2, 4, 2, -2, 2, 5, 2}, {4, 0, 0, 2, 4, -3, -2, 6}, {-2, -2, 2, -2, -1, -4, 0, 2}, {0, -2, 2, -1, 0, 2, -2, -2}, {0, -4, 1, 2, -2, 2, -4, 0}, {0, 1, 0, 0, 2, 0, -4, 0}, {-1, 0, -2, 0, 0, 0, -4, -2}};
AbsoluteTiming[mexp1 = MatrixFunction[Exp, mat, Method -> "SpectralBasis"];]

Wolfram Language code: AbsoluteTiming[mexp2 = MatrixFunction[Exp, mat, Method -> "Jordan"];]

It can also produce much simpler results:

Wolfram Language code: AbsoluteTiming[LeafCount[mexp1]]

Wolfram Language code: AbsoluteTiming[LeafCount[mexp2]]

The two results are equal, however:

Wolfram Language code: AbsoluteTiming[Chop[N[mexp1 - mexp2]]]

The method is chosen automatically for matrices of exact numbers, where it excels:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixQ[mat, NumberQ] && Precision[mat] == Infinity && mexp1 === MatrixFunction[Exp, mat]

Applications (5)

Find the second inverse matrix power applied to a particular vector:

Wolfram Language code:

m = RandomReal[{1, 2}, {10, 10}];
b = ConstantArray[1., 10];

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[#^-2&, m].b

This is a more efficient way of computing :

Wolfram Language code:

minv = LinearSolve[m];
Nest[minv, b, 2]

Show that a matrix is a root of its characteristic polynomial:

Wolfram Language code: m = {{0, 0, 0, 0, 1}, {0, 0, 0, 1, 0}, {0, 0, 1, 0, 0}, {0, 1, 0, 0, 0}, {1, 0, 0, 0, 0}};

Wolfram Language code: p = CharacteristicPolynomial[m, #]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Evaluate[p]&, m] == ConstantArray[0, Dimensions[m]]

The solution of , , for a scalar symbol is given with:

Wolfram Language code: DSolve[{D[y[t], {t, 2}] + A y[t] == 0, y[0] == y0[0], y'[0] == y0'[0]}, y, t]

If is a matrix, the solution can be computed using matrix functions in the scalar solution:

Wolfram Language code:

A = -{{0, 1, 0}, {1 / 3, 1, 0}, {1, 0, 1}}//N;
y0[t_] := {t, Sqrt[1 + t], 1 + t}

Wolfram Language code:

sqA = MatrixFunction[Sqrt, A];
y[t_ ? NumericQ] := MatrixFunction[Cos, t sqA].y0[0] + Inverse[sqA].MatrixFunction[Sin, t sqA].y0'[0];

Wolfram Language code: Plot[y[t], {t, 0, 1}]

Find the matrix that satisfies :

Wolfram Language code: m = RandomReal[{0, 1}, {6, 6}];

Wolfram Language code: f[x_ ? MatrixQ] := MatrixFunction[# + Sin[#]&, x];

Wolfram Language code:

sol = FindRoot[f[x] == m, {x, IdentityMatrix[Length[m]]}];
MatrixForm[x /. sol]

Wolfram Language code: f[x /. sol] - m//Chop

Confirm the formula for a Jordan matrix consisting of a single chain for the following matrix :

Wolfram Language code: MatrixForm[j = λ IdentityMatrix[5] + DiagonalMatrix[{1, 1, 1, 1}, 1, 5]]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[f, j]//MatrixForm

Properties & Relations (11)

Using the function 1& returns an identity matrix:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[1&, {{1, 2}, {3, 4}}]//Simplify

Using the function 1/#& is the same as using Inverse:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[1 / #&, {{1, 1}, {1, 2}}] == Inverse[{{1, 1}, {1, 2}}]

Using a function that is a power is equivalent to using MatrixPower:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[#^n&, {{0, 0, 1}, {0, 2, 0}, {-1, 0, 0}}] == MatrixPower[{{0, 0, 1}, {0, 2, 0}, {-1, 0, 0}}, n]

MatrixFunction[Exp,m] is essentially equivalent to MatrixExp[m]:

Wolfram Language code:

m = RandomReal[1, {3, 3}];
MatrixFunction[Exp, m] == MatrixExp[m]

MatrixFunction effectively uses the power series, with Power replaced by MatrixPower:

Wolfram Language code: a = {{1, -(1/6)}, {1, (1/6)}};

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sqrt, a] == Sum[(Derivative[k][Sqrt][1]/k!) MatrixPower[a - IdentityMatrix[2], k], {k, 0, ∞}]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Log, a] == Sum[(Derivative[k][Log][1]/k!) MatrixPower[a - IdentityMatrix[2], k], {k, 0, ∞}]

Just as , MatrixExp[MatrixFunction[Log,m]] equals m:

Wolfram Language code:

m = {{0, 0, 1}, {0, 2, 0}, {-1, 0, 0}};
m == MatrixExp[MatrixFunction[Log, m]]

If m is diagonal, MatrixFunction[f,m] merely applies f to each element of the diagonal of m:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Cosh, DiagonalMatrix[{a, b, c}]]//MatrixForm

If m is upper triangular, MatrixFunction[f,m] is also upper triangular:

Wolfram Language code:

m = UpperTriangularize[RandomInteger[9, {5, 5}]];
UpperTriangularMatrixQ[MatrixFunction[Tanh, m]]

The analogous statement holds for lower-triangular matrices:

Wolfram Language code:

m = LowerTriangularize[RandomInteger[9, {5, 5}]];
LowerTriangularMatrixQ[MatrixFunction[Tanh, m]]

If is diagonalizable with and the eigenvectors are well conditioned, then :

Wolfram Language code: m = RandomReal[1, {3, 3}];

Wolfram Language code: {d, vt} = Eigensystem[m]

Wolfram Language code:

v = Transpose[vt];
v.DiagonalMatrix[Sin[Cos[d]]].Inverse[v] - MatrixFunction[Sin[Cos[#]]&, m]//Chop

can be computed from the JordanDecomposition as :

Wolfram Language code:

m = {{2, 0, 0, 0}, {0, 1, 0, 0}, {1, -1, 1, 0}, {1, -1, 1, 1}};
{v, j} = JordanDecomposition[m];
MatrixFunction[Sqrt, m] == v.MatrixFunction[Sqrt, j].Inverse[v]

Moreover, is zero except in upper-triangular blocks delineated by s in the superdiagonal:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixForm /@ {j, MatrixFunction[Sqrt, j]}

A matrix is a root of its characteristic polynomial:

Wolfram Language code: m = RandomInteger[2, {3, 3}]

Wolfram Language code: polyf = Function[Evaluate[CharacteristicPolynomial[m, #]]]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[polyf, m]//Simplify

Possible Issues (4)

The scalar function can have symbolic derivatives for exact or symbolic matrices:

Wolfram Language code:

F[x_ ? NumericQ] := Sqrt[x];
MatrixFunction[F, {{1, 1, 0}, {0, 1, 1}, {0, 0, 1}}]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[F, {{1, 1, 0}, {0, 1, 1}, {0, 0, 1}}//N]

Compare with this example:

Wolfram Language code:

F[x_] := Sqrt[x]; 
MatrixFunction[F, {{1, 1, 0}, {0, 1, 1}, {0, 0, 1}}]

MatrixFunction does not work with non-differentiable functions such as Abs:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Abs, {{1., 1., 0.}, {0., 1., 1.}, {0., 0., 1.}}]

It will return a matrix function for an exact input matrix, but the result is meaningless because Abs does not have a first or second derivative:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Abs, {{1, 1, 0}, {0, 1, 1}, {0, 0, 1}}]

MatrixFunction does not return a result when the scalar function or any of its initial derivatives are not defined at matrix eigenvalues:

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sqrt[1 - #]&, {{1, 1, 0}, {0, 1, 1}, {0, 0, 1}}]

Wolfram Language code: MatrixFunction[Sqrt[1 - #]&, {{1., 1., 0.}, {0., 1., 1.}, {0., 0., 1.}}]

The scalar function f has poles (singularities) at 1, 2, and 3:

Wolfram Language code: f = 1 / Apply[Times, (# - Range[3])]&;

If a scalar function is not analytic and a matrix eigenvalue is close to a function pole, the resulting matrix is usually incorrect:

Wolfram Language code:

m = {{-2.131558166676987, -2.937833681080357, -0.995639204939471}, {4.991469442950794, 5.743899123162778, 1.4428901292047926}, {1.621158931412957, 1.1503162105039664, 2.387659043514208}};
Eigenvalues[m]

Wolfram Language code: mf = MatrixFunction[f, m]

Neat Examples (1)

Visualize different sines of a cross matrix formed from the identity matrix and its reverse:

Wolfram Language code:

A = IdentityMatrix[20] + (Reverse /@ IdentityMatrix[20]) + 1 / 20RandomReal[{0, 1}, {20, 20}];
ListAnimate[MatrixPlot[MatrixFunction[Sin, #]]& /@ Table[i A, {i, 1, 20}]]

Tech Notes

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Basic Matrix Operations

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Vectors and Matrices

Related Guides

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Matrix Operations

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Matrix Decompositions

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Symbolic Vectors, Matrices and Arrays

History

Introduced in 2012 (9.0) | Updated in 2014 (10.0) ▪ 2026 (15.0)

Wolfram Research (2012), MatrixFunction, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MatrixFunction.html (updated 2026).

Text

Wolfram Research (2012), MatrixFunction, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MatrixFunction.html (updated 2026).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2012. "MatrixFunction." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2026. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MatrixFunction.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2012). MatrixFunction. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MatrixFunction.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_matrixfunction, author="Wolfram Research", title="{MatrixFunction}", year="2026", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MatrixFunction.html}", note=[Accessed: 12-November-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_matrixfunction, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={MatrixFunction}, year={2026}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MatrixFunction.html}, note=[Accessed: 12-November-2026]}

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MatrixFunction

Details and Options

Examples

Basic Examples (3)

Scope (11)

Basic Uses (7)

Special Matrices (4)

Options (5)

Method (5)

Applications (5)

Properties & Relations (11)

Possible Issues (4)

Neat Examples (1)

See Also

Tech Notes

Related Guides

History

Text

CMS

APA

BibTeX

BibLaTeX