Lesson 5: Determinant of

Triangular Matrices
Evaluating determinants of matrices of order 4 or higher can be tedious. There is,
however, an important exception: the determinant of a triangular matrix.

A square matrix is called upper triangular if it has all zero entries below its main
diagonal, and lower triangular if it has all zero entire above its main diagonal. A matrix that is
both upper and lower triangular is called diagonal. That is, a diagonal matrix which all
entries above and below the main diagonal are zero.

If A is a triangular matrix of order n, then its determinant is the product of the entries on
the main diagonal. That is, det(A) = | A | = a11a22a33…ann .

Example: Find the determinant of each matrix.

2 0 0 0
4 −2 0 0
A= , This is a lower triangular matrix of order 4, then its determinant
−5 6 1 0
1 5 3 3
therefore is, | A | = (2)(−2)(1)(3) , | A | = 12.

−1 0 0 0 0
0 3 0 0 0
B= 0 0 2 0 0 B is called diagonal matrix wherein all entries above and below
0 0 0 4 0
0 0 0 0 −2
the main diagonal are zero, then | B | = (−1)(3)(2)(4)(−2), | B | = 48.

1 −2 3 1
0 2 −9 −2
Exercises 5: Solve the determinant of B =
0 0 −3 −1
0 0 0 −1