DETERMINANTS

November 2nd , 2020

Yen Ha T. N.
 Determinants
➢ Definition: Determinant of a square matrix of order n is a
number associated with the matrix, defined as follows:

n = 1, A =  a   det A = A = a

 a11 a12  a11 a12

n = 2, A =    det A = = a11a22 − a12a21
 a21 a22  a21 a22

 a11 a1k 
n = k, A =    det A = a −1 1+1 det A + a −1 1+2 det A + . 1+ k
  11 ( ) 11 12 ( ) 12 + a1k ( −1) det A1k
 ak1 akk 
 Properties of Determinants

➢ If any two rows of a determinant are interchanged, then the value of the
determinant is multiplied by (-1).

1 2 3   4 5 6
 
det 4 5 6 = −18,  
det 1 2 3 = 18
   
1 0 5  1 0 5 
 Properties of Determinants

➢ If any two rows of a determinant are interchanged, then the value of the
determinant is multiplied by (-1).

1 2 3   4 5 6
 
det 4 5 6 = −18,  
det 1 2 3 = 18
   
1 0 5  1 0 5 
 Properties of Determinants

➢ A determinant having two identical rows is equal to 0.

1 2 3
 
det 1 0 5 = 0
 
1 2 3
 Properties of Determinants

➢ We can compute a determinant by expanding any row.

i +1 i+2 i+n
det A = ai1 ( −1) det Ai1 + ai1 ( −1) det Ai 2 + . + ain ( −1) det Ain

1 2 3 
 
det 4 5 6 = 1  ( −1)
3+1 2 3
+ 0  ( −1)
3+ 2 1 3
+ 5  ( −1)
3+3 1 2
= −18
  5 6 4 6 4 5
1 0 5 
 Properties of Determinants

➢ If all the entries in a row of a determinant are multiplied by the same

factor a, then the value of the new determinant is a times the value of the
given determinant.

3 6 9  1 2 3 
   
det 4 5 6 = 3  det 4 5 6 = 3  ( −18 ) = −54
   
1 0 5  1 0 5 
 Properties of Determinants

➢ If corresponding entries in two rows of a determinant are proportional, the

value of determinant is zero.

3 6 9 
 
det 5 10 15 = 0
 
1 0 5 
 Properties of Determinants

➢ det A = det A T

det ( AB ) = det A det B

 a11 a1n 

det 0  =a a   ann
  11 22
 0 0 ann 
 Rows Operations

➢ Multiply a row by a nonzero scalar t

➢ Add a constant multiple of one row to another row

➢ Exchange two row

➢ Expand a row

➢ Columns operators
 How to calculate determinants?

➢ Use rows and columns operations to transform the determinant to the

triangular determinant.

➢ Use rows and columns operations to make a row (or a column) with lots
of zero entries and expand that row (column)
 How to calculate determinants?

4 3 9 9 R2 + 2 R1→ R2 4 3 9 9 4 3 9 9
R3 + 2 R1→ R3 R2  R3
−8 3 5 −4 0 9 23 14 0 3 8 5
−8 0 −2 −8
=
R +4 R →R 0 6 16 10 1
= −2
0 9 23 14
4 1 4 R2 → R2
−16 6 14 −5 0 18 50 31 2
0 18 50 31
4 3 9 9 4 3 9 9
R3 −3 R2 → R3 R4 + 2 R3 → R4 0 3 8 5
0 3 8 5
= −2 = −2
−1 −1
R −6 R → R
4 2 4 0 0 −1 −1 0 0
0 0 2 1 0 0 0 −1
= −2  4  3  ( −1)  ( −1) = −24
 How to calculate determinants?

R2 − R1→ R2
4 3 9 9 1 1 1 9 9 −1 1 1 9 9
C2 →C2 R3 → R3
−8 3 5 −4 3 −2 1 5 −4 2 −3 0 −4 −13
−8 0 −2 −8 1
= 12
−2 0 −2 −8
=
R −2 R →R
− 24
1 0 1 4
C1→C1 4 1 4
−16 6 14 −5 4
−4 2 14 −5 −6 0 −4 −23

expand C2
3 4 13 C2 −C1→C2
3 1 1 expandR2 1 1
= 24 1 1 4 =
C −4C →C
24 1 0 0 = − 24
−2 −1
= −24
6 4 23 3 1 3 6 −2 −1