Determinants

With every square matrix A over a field F is associated a scalar

called determinant of A and denoted by |A|.
Definition : (i) Let A = [aij] be a square matrix of order one. Then
we define
|A| = a11.
(ii) Let A = [aij] be a square matrix of order two. Then we define
|A| = a11 a22 a12 a21.
(iii) Let A = [aij] be a square matrix of order three. Then we define
|A| = a11(a22a33 a32a23) a12(a21a33 a23a31) + a13(a21a32
a22a31).

Definition : If A = [aij] is a square matrix of order n, then we

define the minor Mij of aij as the determinant of the submatrix of
A of order n 1, obtained by deleting row i and column j from the
matrix A.
Thus the determinant of a 3 3 matrix A can be written as
|A| = a11M11 a12M12 + a13M13
Definition : Let A = [aij] be a square matrix of order n. The
cofactor Aij of aij is defined as Aij = (-1)i+jMij.
Definition: Let A be a n n matrix. The nth order determinant is
define by
|A| = ai1Ai1 + ai2Ai2 + ------ + ainAin (expansion along the i

th

= a1jA1j + a2jA2j+ ------ + anjAnj (expansion along the j

column)
Where Aij is the cofactor of aij .

row)

th

Definition : A matrix A is said to be non-singular if |A| 0. If not,

it is said to be a singular matrix (if |A| = 0).
Result: A square matrix A is invertible if and only if |A| 0.
Definition : Let A be a square matrix of order n and let C denotes
its matrix of cofactors (That is, the matrix obtained by replacing
each aij by its cofactor Aij). The adjoint of A denoted by adj A, is
CT, the transpose of the matrix of cofactors.
Definition : If A is a non-singular matrix, then A-1 =

A
1

adj A.