# Reducible matrices and strongly connected graphs

The incidence matrix below is primitive (the graph is strongly connected) thus it is irreducible. However, this matrix looks reducible (using $P = I_n$) ?! What am I missing?

[A is called reducible if, subject to some permutation of the rows and the same permutation of the columns, A can be written in upper triangular block form, i.e. $$PAP^{-1} =\begin{bmatrix} B &C \\0 &D\end{bmatrix}$$]

Indeed, the given matrix is irreducible. Your claim is correct that if a matrix is reducible, then it can be written in the form (after some reordering of the states): $$A' = \begin{pmatrix} B & C\\ \color{blue}{\mathbf{0}} & D \end{pmatrix}.$$
But notice that $B$ and $D$ must be square blocks! Apparently, you think that the blue block represents the zero block above: $$\begin{pmatrix} 0 & 1 & * & * & * \\ 0 & 0 & * & * & *\\ 1 & 0 & * & * & *\\ \color{blue} 0 & \color{blue} 0 & * & * & *\\ \color{blue} 0 & \color{blue} 0 & * & * & * \end{pmatrix}$$ But the block above the blue block is not square!