How to Make a Matrix in Google Docs

If you are writing documents that have to do with complex math equations, you will definitely need to use matrices in your solution. A matrix helps you present complicated data sets intelligibly and in an organized way. In this article, you will learn how to make a matrix in Google Docs.

There are multiple easy methods you can use to insert a matrix in Google Docs. Let’s delve into them!

Method #1. Using a Table

You can use the table formatting option to insert a matrix into your Google Document. First you have to set up the table:

Open the document you want to insert matrix into.
Then click “Insert” on the toolbar at the top of the document page
Select “Table.”
Choose a table size of 5 x 1. You can adjust it to your desired dimensions.
When you set up the table, enter the contents of your matrix from the second column to the fourth column.
Press the “Enter” key to separate your matrix entries per row.

Go ahead to adjusting the column width:

Highlight the cells in your table by selecting the cells.
Then click on the vertical three-dot icon (⋮) and select the “Table options.”
Checkmark the box next to “Column width” to enable the option.
To achieve the desired appearance, set the column width to 0.3 or a larger value if that is what is best.
After adjusting the column width as you so desire, close the “Table properties” side panel.

After adjusting the table columns, you have to configure the Table borders by:

Select the second to fourth columns of your table.
Click the vertical three-dot icon (⋮) and select the option “Border width.”
Select “0 pt” to remove the borders from the selected columns.

And that’s it, you are done with inserting a matrix into your document on Google Docs.

Method #2. Using Equations

Another method you can use to make a matrix in Google Docs is to use the equations feature in Google Docs. You have to use subscripts and superscripts to create the matrix structure.

Open the Google document you want to insert matrix into.
Click on “Insert” in the toolbar.
Select “Equation.”
Click on “Math operations” on the drop-down menu and select a pair of brackets to create the matrix enclosure.
Inside the brackets you have chosen, add a variable with superscript and subscript fields. This option is the fourth one in the first row of the equation toolbar.
Then click the right arrow key on your keyboard once to access the subscript field.
Type in the value you want to insert.
Click the right arrow key once again, and enter the value for the superscript.
Repeat this process from steps 3 to 6 to create as many entries as you want.
When you are done completing the matrix, add 2-3 spaces inside the bracket to balance its appearance.
Highlight the equation using the plus and minus buttons in the equation toolbar to adjust its size.

Method #3. Use the “Hypatia Create” add-on

Another way to insert a matrix into a Google Document is to use the “Hypatia Create” add-on. With this add-on, you can insert a 3×3 Matrix in Google Docs.

Here’s how to use the “Hypatia Create” add-on to make a matrix in Google Doc;

Install “Hypatia Create” add-on from Google Workspace Marketplace.
After installing, open the Google Docs document you want to insert a matrix into.
Select “Extensions” and choose “Hypatia Create” .
Click on the “Insert/Edit Math” option.
In the math editor, type in “bmatrix” and hit the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Specify the number of rows and columns you want to add to your matrix, then select Insert.
Add the values into your matrix in the provided fields.
Then click the Insert button in the lower-right corner of the panel to finish.

With these three methods, you can successfully insert a matrix into your Google document if it requires so.

How do I copy the components of a Matrix?

To copy the components of a matrix row by row, and paste it into another file, follow these steps:

Click and drag your cursor across the cells to highlight the top row of your matrix.
Press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Command + C (Mac) to copy the row you selected.
Go to the file you want to paste the matrix.
Position your cursor at the desired location and hit Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac), this will paste the copied row.
Insert a new line by pressing the Enter key on your keyboard.
Repeat this process by highlighting the next row of your matrix, copying it with Ctrl + C (or Command + C), and pasting it with Ctrl + V (or Command + V) on the new line.
Repeat this process until you have copied and pasted all the rows of your matrix into the desired file.