Page 1 of 2

4.3 Determinants
and Cramer’s Rule
GOAL 1 EVALUATING DETERMINANTS
What you should learn
GOAL 1 Evaluate Associated with each square matrix is a real number called its determinant.
determinants of 2 ª 2 and The determinant of a matrix A is denoted by det A or by |A|.
3 ª 3 matrices.
GOAL 2 Use Cramer’s rule
T H E D E T E R M I N A N T O F A M AT R I X
to solve systems of linear
equations, as applied in
Example 5. DETERMINANT OF A 2 ª 2 MATRIX

Why you should learn it det    

a b
c d
=
a b
c d
= ad º cb
The determinant of a 2 ª 2 matrix is the difference
of the products of the entries on the diagonals.
 To solve real-life
problems, such as finding the DETERMINANT OF A 3 ª 3 MATRIX
area of the Golden Triangle of
India in Ex. 58. 1 Repeat the first two columns 2 Subtract the sum of the products in red
AL LI
FE
RE

to the right of the from the sum of the products in blue.

determinant.

  
a b c a b c a b
det d e f = d e f d e = (aei + bfg + cdh) º (gec + hfa + idb)
g h i g h i g h

EXAMPLE 1 Evaluating Determinants

 
Evaluate the determinant of the matrix.

 
2 º1 3
1 3
a. b. º2 0 1
2 5
1 2 4
SOLUTION

a.
 
1 3
2 5
= 1(5) º 2(3) = 5 º 6 = º1

 
2 º1 3 2 º1
b. º2 0 1 º2 0 = [0 + (º1) + (º12)] º (0 + 4 + 8) = º13 º 12
1 2 4 1 2
= º25
..........

You can use a determinant to find the area of a triangle whose vertices are points in a
coordinate plane.

214 Chapter 4 Matrices and Determinants

 Page 1 of 2

AREA OF A TRIANGLE

The area of a triangle with vertices y

(x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3) is given by (x1, y1)

 
x1 y1 1 (x2, y2)
1
Area = ± x2 y2 1
2
x3 y3 1 (x3, y3)
x
where the symbol ± indicates that the
appropriate sign should be chosen to
yield a positive value.

EXAMPLE 2 The Area of a Triangle

The area of the triangle shown is: y

(1, 2) (6, 2)

 
1 2 1 1
1
Area = ± 4 0 1 1 (4, 0) x
2
6 2 1

1
= ± [(0 + 12 + 8) º (0 + 2 + 8)] = 5
2

EXAMPLE 3 The Area of a Triangular Region

BERMUDA TRIANGLE The Bermuda N

Triangle is a large triangular region in the Bermuda
(938, 454)
Atlantic Ocean. Many ships and airplanes Miami (0, 0)
have been lost in this region. The triangle W E
is formed by imaginary lines connecting Puerto Rico
Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Miami, Each tick mark (900, 518)
represents 200 mi. S
Florida. Use a determinant to estimate
FOCUS ON the area of the Bermuda Triangle.
APPLICATIONS

SOLUTION
The approximate coordinates of the Bermuda Triangle’s three vertices are
(938, 454), (900, º518), and (0, 0). So, the area of the region is as follows:

 
938 454 1
1 900 º518 1
Area = ±
2
0 0 1
L
AL I
BERMUDA
FE
RE

1
TRIANGLE = ± [(º485,884 + 0 + 0) º (0 + 0 + 408,600)]
The U.S.S. Cyclops, shown 2
above, disappeared in the = 447,242
Bermuda Triangle in March,
1918.  The area of the Bermuda Triangle is about 447,000 square miles.

4.3 Determinants and Cramer's Rule 215

 Page 1 of 2

GOAL 2 USING CRAMER’S RULE

You can use determinants to solve a system of linear equations. The method,
called Cramer’s rule and named after the Swiss mathematician Gabriel Cramer
(1704º1752), uses the coefficient matrix of the linear system.
LINEAR SYSTEM COEFFICIENT MATRIX

ax + by = e
cx + dy = f  
a b
c d

CRAMER’S RULE FOR A 2 X 2 SYSTEM

Let A be the coefficient matrix of this linear system:

ax + by = e
cx + dy = f
If det A ≠ 0, then the system has exactly one solution. The solution is:


x = 
f d
e b

and

y = 
c f 
a e

det A det A

In Cramer’s rule, notice that the denominator for x and y is the determinant of the
coefficient matrix of the system. The numerators for x and y are the determinants
of the matrices formed by using the column of constants as replacements for the
coefficients of x and y, respectively.

EXAMPLE 4 Using Cramer’s Rule for a 2  2 System

8x + 5y = 2
STUDENT HELP Use Cramer’s rule to solve this system:
NE
2x º 4y = º10
ER T
HOMEWORK HELP
INT

Visit our Web site SOLUTION

www.mcdougallittell.com Evaluate the determinant of the coefficient matrix.
for extra examples.

 82 5
º4= º32 º 10 = º42

Apply Cramer’s rule since the determinant is not 0.

 º10 º4 
2 5
º8 º (º50)
x =  =  =  = º1
42
º42 º42 º42


y=
2 º10 
8 2
º80 º 4 º8 4
 =  =  = 2
º42 º4 2 º4 2

 The solution is (º1, 2).

✓CHECK Check this solution 8(º1) + 5(2) · 2 2(º1) º 4(2) · º10

in the original equations. 2=2✓ º10 = º10 ✓

216 Chapter 4 Matrices and Determinants

 Page 1 of 2

CRAMER’S RULE FOR A 3 X 3 SYSTEM

Let A be the coefficient matrix of this linear system:

ax + by + cz = j
dx + ey + fz = k
gx + hy + iz = l
If det A ≠ 0, then the system has exactly one solution. The solution is:

     
j b c a j c a b j
k e f d k f d e k
l h i g l i g h l
x = , y = , and z = 
det A det A det A

EXAMPLE 5 Using Cramer’s Rule for a 3 ª3 System

SCIENCE CONNECTION The atomic

Compound Formula Atomic weight
weights of three compounds are shown.
Use a linear system and Cramer’s rule to Methane CH4 16
find the atomic weights of carbon (C), Glycerol C3H8O3 92
hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O).
Water H2O 18
SOLUTION
Write a linear system using the formula for each compound. Let C, H, and O
represent the atomic weights of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
C + 4H = 16
3C + 8H + 3O = 92
2H + O = 18
FOCUS ON
CAREERS
Evaluate the determinant of the coefficient matrix.

 
1 4 0
3 8 3 = (8 + 0 + 0) º (0 + 6 + 12) = º10
0 2 1
Apply Cramer’s rule since the determinant is not 0.

 
16 4 0
92 8 3
18 2 1 º120
C =  =  = 12 Atomic weight of carbon
º10 º10

 
1 16 0
L
3 92 3
AL I
CHEMIST
FE

0 18 1
RE

º10
Chemists research H =  =  = 1 Atomic weight of hydrogen
º10 º10
and put to practical use

 
knowledge about chemicals. 1 4 16
Research on the chemistry of
3 8 92
living things sparks advances
in medicine, agriculture, and 0 2 18 º160
O =  =  = 16 Atomic weight of oxygen
other fields. º10 º10
NE
ER T
INT

CAREER LINK
www.mcdougallittell.com  The weights of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are 12, 1, and 16, respectively.

4.3 Determinants and Cramer's Rule 217

 Page 1 of 2

GUIDED PRACTICE
Vocabulary Check ✓ 1. Explain Cramer’s rule and how it is used.
Concept Check ✓ 2. Can two different matrices have the same determinant? If so, give an example.
3. ERROR ANALYSIS Find the error in each calculation.
a. b.

 3 º1

5 2 = 6 º 5 = 1  º14 23 = º2 º 12 = º14
4. To use Cramer’s rule to solve a linear system, what must be true of the
determinant of the coefficient matrix?
Skill Check ✓ Evaluate the determinant of the matrix.

5.   0 1
6 2
6. 
º1 4
5 º1  7. 8 º2
º2 4 
Use Cramer’s rule to solve the linear system.
8. 6x º 8y = 4 9. 2x + 7y = º3 10. 12x º 2y = 2
4x º 5y = º4 3x º 8y = º23 º14x + 11y = 51
11. SCHOOL SPIRIT You are making a y
large pennant for your school football team. (0, 50)
A diagram of the pennant is shown at the
right. The coordinates given are measured in
inches. How many square inches of material GO TEAM (70, 20)
10
will you need to make the pennant?
(0, 0) 40 x

PRACTICE AND APPLICATIONS

STUDENT HELP 2 ª 2 DETERMINANTS Evaluate the determinant of the matrix.
Extra Practice
to help you master 12.  
º4 2
5 º2
13.  
8 0
º1 3
14.  
9 3
º2 1

     
skills is on p. 945.
º7 11 4 0 1 8
15. 16. 17.
º7 2 º3 4 5 9

18.  
º6 5
º3 9
19.   0 º3
8 10
20.  
12 2
º5 8
3 ª 3 DETERMINANTS Evaluate the determinant of the matrix.

STUDENT HELP

HOMEWORK HELP

21. º2 3
12 4 º1

5 8
2
1
 22.  5 º9 4
4
0
2 1
1 1
 23. 0 5 2
10 13 º4
º5 4 º1

     
Example 1: Exs. 12–29
1 16 º2 º4 0 º1 8 2 9
Example 2: Exs. 30–35
Example 3: Exs. 54–58 24. 20 4 2 25. 0 8 9 26. 12 3 9
7 1 º4 0 5 2 3 13 4

     
Example 4: Exs. 36–44,
59
3 12 º1 º3 2 20 15 4 º10
Example 5: Exs. 45–53,
60 27. 10 9 0 28. º10 9 18 29. º10 0 6
º5 6 º2 11 15 12 º8 2 º14

218 Chapter 4 Matrices and Determinants

 Page 1 of 2

AREA OF A TRIANGLE Find the area of the triangle with the given vertices.
30. A(0, 1), B(2, 7), C(5, 5) 31. A(3, 6), B(3, 0), C(1, 3)
32. A(6, º1), B(2, 2), C(4, 8) 33. A(º4, 2), B(3, º1), C(º2, º2)
34. A(2, º6), B(º1, º4), C(0, 2) 35. A(1, 3), B(º2, 6), C(º1, 1)

USING CRAMER’S RULE Use Cramer’s rule to solve the linear system.
36. 2x + y = 3 37. 7x º 5y = 11 38. 9x + 2y = 7
5x + 6y = 4 3x + 10y = º56 4x º 3y = 42
39. x + 7y = º3 40. ºx º 12y = 44 41. 4x º 3y = 18
3x º 5y = 17 12x º 15y = º51 8x º 7y = 34
42. 4x º 5y = 13 43. 8x º 9y = 32 44. 3x + 10y = 50
2x º 7y = 24 º5x + 7y = 40 12x + 15y = 64

SOLVING SYSTEMS Use Cramer’s rule to solve the linear system.

45. x + 2y º 3z = º2 46. x + 3y º z = 1 47. 3x + 2y º 5z = º10
x º y + z = º1 º2x º 6y + z = º3 6x º z = 8
3x + 4y º 4z = 4 3x + 5y º 2z = 4 ºy + 3z = º2
48. x + 2y + z = 9 49. 4x + y + 6z = 7 50. x + 4y º z = º7
x+y+z=3 3x + 3y + 2z = 17 2x º y + 2z = 15
5x º 2z = º1 ºx º y + z = º9 º3x + y º 3z = º22
51. 2x + y + z = 5 52. ºx + 2y + 7z = 13 53. º3x + y + 2z = º14
x + 4y º 2z = 9 2x º y º 2z = º2 9x º y + 2z = º8
6x + 5y = 16 3x + 5y + 2z = º14 8x + 5y º 4z = 6

54. BIRDS Black-necked stilts N

are birds that live throughout
Florida and surrounding areas (35, 220)
but breed mostly in the triangular Each tick mark
represents 50 miles.
FOCUS ON region shown on the map.
APPLICATIONS
Estimate the area of this region. (112, 56)
The coordinates given are
head W E
measured in miles. (0, 0)

leech luff S
SAILING In Exercises 55–57,
use the following information.
On a Marconi-rigged sloop, there
y
are two triangular sails, a mainsail 26
foot mainsail jib and a jib. These sails are shown in a
coordinate plane at the right. The
coordinates in the plane are measured
18
in feet.
L 55. Find the area of the mainsail shown.
AL I
SAILING The
FE
RE

edges of a sail are
called the luff, leech, and
foot. The luff length of the jib
is usually 80% to 90% of the
distance from the deck to
the head of the jib.
56. Find the area of the jib shown.
57. Suppose you are making a scale model mainsail jib
of the sailboat with the sails shown
2
using a scale of l in. = 6 ft. What is the
area of the model’s mainsail? 2 12 14 22 x

4.3 Determinants and Cramer's Rule 219

 Page 1 of 2

58. SOCIAL STUDIES CONNECTION The Golden N

New Delhi
Triangle refers to a large triangular region (100, 120)
in India. The Taj Mahal is one of the many
wonders that lie within the boundaries of
this triangle. The triangle is formed by Agra
imaginary lines that connect the cities of Jaipur (140, 20)
(0, 0)
New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. Use the
coordinates on the map and a determinant W E
Each tick mark
to estimate the area of the Golden Triangle. S represents 20 miles.
The coordinates given are measured in miles.

59. BUYING GASOLINE You fill up your car with 10 gallons of premium
gasoline and fill a small gas can with 2 gallons of regular gasoline for your lawn
mower. You pay the cashier $13.56. The price of premium gasoline is 12 cents
more per gallon than the price of regular gasoline. Use a linear system and
Cramer’s rule to find the price per gallon for regular and premium gasoline.

60. SCIENCE CONNECTION The atomic weights of three compounds are shown.

Compound Formula Atomic weight

Tetrasulphur tetranitride S4N4 184

Sulphur hexaflouride SF6 146
Dinitrogen tetraflouride N2F4 104

Use a linear system and Cramer’s rule to find the atomic weights of sulphur (S),
nitrogen (N), and flourine (F).

61. LOGICAL REASONING Explain what happens to the determinant of a matrix

when you switch two rows or two columns.

Test QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON In Exercises 62 and 63, choose the statement

Preparation that is true about the given quantities.

¡
A The quantity in column A is greater.
¡
B The quantity in column B is greater.
¡
C The two quantities are equal.
¡
D The relationship cannot be determined from the given information.

Column A Column B

62. The area of a triangle with vertices The area of a triangle with vertices
(º3, 4), (4, 2), and (1, º2) (4, 2), (1, º2), and (3, º4)

63. det 
º5 6
º2 10  det   º7 1
3 5

★ Challenge 64. DETERMINANT RELATIONSHIPS Let A =  2 º1

3 2  
and B =
3 5
º2 º4
. 
a. How is det AB related to det A and det B?
EXTRA CHALLENGE
b. How is det kA related to det A if k is a constant? Check your answer using
www.mcdougallittell.com matrix B and several other 2 ª 2 matrices.

220 Chapter 4 Matrices and Determinants

 Page 1 of 2

MIXED REVIEW
EVALUATING FUNCTIONS Find the indicated value of ƒ(x). (Review 2.1)
65. ƒ(x) = x º 10, f(7) 66. ƒ(x) = 3x + 7, ƒ(º2)
2
67. ƒ(x) = ºx + 5, ƒ(º1) 68. ƒ(x) = x2 º 2x º 4, ƒ(7)
1
69. ƒ(x) = x2 + 4x º 1, ƒ 
2  70. ƒ(x) = x5 º 2x º 10, ƒ(3)

GRAPHING SYSTEMS Graph the system of linear inequalities. (Review 3.3)

71. x < 3 72. y ≥ 2x º 3 73. y > ºx º 5
x > º2 y > º5x º 8 y > 3x + 1
74. x + y > 3 75. 2x º y ≥ 2 76. 4x º 3y > 1
4x + y < 4 5x º y ≥ 2 ºx + y ≥ 4
MULTIPLYING MATRICES Find the product. (Review 4.2 for 4.4)

77. º2 º4
5 1  6 º1
3 º3  78.  7 º1
4 º10  
0 º3
4 8
79.  11 º2
0 4  º8 3
8 º1 
80.  3 º5
º7 2  10 9
12 16  81.  0.5 3
0.2 1  
0 0.6
4 0.8
82. 
º2 1.3
1.5 º3  1.6 6
º4 1.9 
QUIZ 1 Self-Test for Lessons 4.1–4.3

Perform the indicated operation(s). (Lessons 4.1, 4.2)

1. º2 5 10
4 º6 8
+
º3 º1
 
5
º2 º8 º7  2. 
º8 0
5 º2
º  
º3 7
5 º1 
3. º2  7 º2
4 9
+2 
6 º3
º5 3  4.  4 º6 10
3  
2 º1 º3
6 0 º4 0
9 º4 5 º2
6 º5
0 1

     
1 0
8 º1 3 7 2 º1 3
5. 6. 9 º3
6 º2 º2 0 2 4 0
4 º6
Evaluate the determinant of the matrix. (Lesson 4.3)

7.  
º4 3
º6 2
8.  9 º3
6 º2  9. 
º1 2 3
5 0 º2
6 8 1
  10.
12 5 º6
2 2 3
1 0 º3

Use Cramer’s rule to solve the linear system. (Lesson 4.3)
11. º8x + y = º6 12. 3x º 2y = 10 13. 5x + 4y = 12
º5x + 4y = 3 º6x + y = º7 3x º 6y = 3
14. 4x + y + 6z = 2 15. x + y + 4z = 7 16. 3x + 3y º 2z = º18
2x + 2y + 4z = 1 2x º 3y º z = º24 º5x º 2y º 3z = º1
ºx º y + z = º5 º4x + 2y + 2z = 8 7x + y + 6z = 14
17. GARDENING You are planning to turn a triangular region of your yard into
a garden. The vertices of the triangle are (0, 0), (5, 2), and (3, 6) where the
coordinates are measured in feet. Find the area of the triangular region. (Lesson 4.3)

4.3 Determinants and Cramer's Rule 221