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# MatIsSymmetric
Test whether a matrix is symmetric 
## Synopsis
```
#include "petscmat.h" 
PetscErrorCode MatIsSymmetric(Mat A, PetscReal tol, PetscBool *flg)
```
Collective


## Input Parameters

- ***A -*** the matrix to test
- ***tol -*** difference between value and its transpose less than this amount counts as equal (use 0.0 for exact transpose)



## Output Parameter

- ***flg -*** the result





## Notes
For real numbers `MatIsSymmetric()` and `MatIsHermitian()` return identical results

If the matrix does not yet know if it is symmetric or not this can be an expensive operation, also available `MatIsSymmetricKnown()`

One can declare that a matrix is symmetric with `MatSetOption`(mat,`MAT_SYMMETRIC`,`PETSC_TRUE`) and if it is known to remain symmetric
after changes to the matrices values one can call `MatSetOption`(mat,`MAT_SYMMETRY_ETERNAL`,`PETSC_TRUE`)


## See Also
 [](ch_matrices), `Mat`, `MatTranspose()`, `MatIsTranspose()`, `MatIsHermitian()`, `MatIsStructurallySymmetric()`, `MatSetOption()`, `MatIsSymmetricKnown()`,
`MAT_SYMMETRIC`, `MAT_SYMMETRY_ETERNAL`, `MatSetOption()`

## Level
intermediate

## Location
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/interface/matrix.c.html#MatIsSymmetric">src/mat/interface/matrix.c</A>

## Examples
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex57f.F90.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex57f.F90</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex72.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex72.c</A><BR>

## Implementations

<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/aij/mpi/mpiaij.c.html#MatIsSymmetric_MPIAIJ">MatIsSymmetric_MPIAIJ in src/mat/impls/aij/mpi/mpiaij.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/aij/seq/aij.c.html#MatIsSymmetric_SeqAIJ">MatIsSymmetric_SeqAIJ in src/mat/impls/aij/seq/aij.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/dense/seq/dense.c.html#MatIsSymmetric_SeqDense">MatIsSymmetric_SeqDense in src/mat/impls/dense/seq/dense.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/is/matis.c.html#MatIsSymmetric_IS">MatIsSymmetric_IS in src/mat/impls/is/matis.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/sbaij/seq/sbaij.c.html#MatIsSymmetric_SeqSBAIJ">MatIsSymmetric_SeqSBAIJ in src/mat/impls/sbaij/seq/sbaij.c</A><BR>


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