Linear Algebra Dung Dao Bao

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PROPERTIES OF DETERMINANTS

We have some basic properties of the determinant as follows

1. |𝐴𝑇 | = |𝐴| where 𝐴 is a square matrix.

2. The interchange of any two rows (or columns) of the determinant

changes its sign.

3. If all elements of a row (or a column) are proportional (or identical)

to the corresponding elements of some other row (or column) then the
determinant is zero.

4. If we multiply one row (or one column) of a determinant by a scalar

number 𝑘, the determinant is multiplied by 𝑘.

5. The determinant of a triangular matrix is the product of the main

diagonal elements.

6. Adding 𝑘 times a row (or a column) of a square matrix 𝐴 to a different

row (or column) does not change the determinant of 𝐴.

7. If 𝐴 and 𝐵 are the 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrices then

det(𝐴. 𝐵) = det(𝐴) . det(𝐵)

Remark (corollary of 4th property) : If 𝐴 is a square matrix of order 𝒏 then

det(𝑘. 𝐴) = 𝑘 𝒏 . det(𝐴) for 𝑘 ∈ ℝ