Minimal paramount matrices

A real symmetric matrix of order n, n ? 2, is said to be paramount if each proper principal minor is not less than the absolute value of any other minor built from the same rows. A paramount matrix is minimal ¹ if reducing any of the diagonal entries removes the matrix from the paramount class. Minimal paramount matrices arise in the n-port realization problem of circuit theory. A condition is found that is equivalent to the minimality of a paramount matrix. Conditions are also found that guarantee that the inverse of an invertible minimal paramount matrix is itself minimal.