Section 3.

5
Solving Systems using Determinants
 What are Determinants?
 Evaluating a 2x2 Determinant
 Expanding and Evaluating a 3x3 Determinant
 Using Cramer’s Rule
to Solve a System of 2 Equations
 Using Cramer’s Rule
to Solve a System of 3 Equations
Why Study Determinants?
 Determinants offer a quick, number-crunching
way to solve Systems of Equations
 No Graphing
 No Elimination Method
 No Substitution Method
 Put your equations in standard form
 Create a few determinants
 Evaluate them according to formulas
Concept:
A Determinant is a Square Matrix
 # rows = # of columns
 Different Notation
Matrix: Determinant:
 2 4 2 4
 1 3  1 3
 

9 2  2 9 2 2
1 0 17  1 0 17
 
 2  1 4   2 1 4
Evaluating a 2x2 Determinant
 A 2x2 Determinant is always a number:
It’s the Product of the main diagonal numbers
minus the Product of the other diagonal numbers

a b

c d
= ad – bc

2 4
 1 3 = 2(3) – 4(-1) = 10
Practice
a b
 = ad – bc
c d
3 2
 = 3(9) – 2(6) = 15
6 9
2 5

7 4 = -2(-4) – (-5)(-7) = -27

 5 12

1 0
= 5(0) – ½(-1) = ½
Evaluating a 3x3 Determinant
(expanding along the top row)

 Expanding by Minors (little 2x2 determinants)

a1 b1 c1
b2 c2 a2 c2 a2 b2
a2 b2 c2  a1  b1  c1
b3 c3 a3 c3 a3 b3
a3 b3 c3
1 3 2
0 3 2 3 2 0
2 0 3  (1)  (3)  (2)
2 3 1 3 1 2
1 2 3
 (1)(6)  (3)(3)  (  2)(4)
 6  9  8   23
Array Signs for a 3x3 Determinant
 You can expand across any row
or down any column
 The Signs form a checkerboard pattern
 Use the Signs from this array
  
  
  
   
  
Expand Down the Middle Column   

 Apply the Signs as you go down the column

1 3 2
2 3 1 2 1 2
2 0 3  (3)  (0)  (2)
1 3 1 3 2 3
1 2 3
 (3)(3)  (0)(1)  ( 2)(7)
 9  0  14   23

 You always should get the same number

Using Cramer’s Rule
to Solve a System of Two Equations
Applying Cramer’s Rule
on a System of Two Equations
 ax  by  e 2 x  3 y  16
 
cx  dy  f  3x  5 y  14
a b 2 3
D  D  (2)(5)  (3)(3)  10  9  19
c d 3 5
e b  16  3
Dx  Dx   (16)(5)  (3)(14)  80  42  38
f d 14 5

a e 2  16
Dy  Dy   (2)(14)  (3)( 16)  28  48  76
c f 3 14

Dx Dy Dx  38 Dy 76
x y x   2 y   4
D D D 19 D 19
Class Exercise: Applying Cramer’s Rule
on a System of Two Equations
 ax  by  e  4x  3y  6
 
cx  dy  f  2 x  5 y  4
a b
D 
c d
e b
Dx 
f d
a e
Dy 
c f
Dx Dy
x y
D D
Using Cramer’s Rule
to Solve a System of Three Equations
 Applying Cramer’s Rule
on a System of Three Equations
ax  by  cz  j

dx  ey  fz  k 2 x  y  4 z  12
 gx  hy  iz  l
 
a b c  x  2 y  2z  9
D d  3x  3 y  2 z  1
g
e
h
f
i

j b c
Dx  k e f
l h i
a j c
Dy  k k f
g l i
a b j
Dz  d e k
g h l
Dx Dy D
x y z z
D D D
 Class Exercise: Applying Cramer’s Rule
on a System of Three Equations
ax  by  cz  j

dx  ey  fz  k  x  y  2z  6
 gx  hy  iz  l
 
a b c  2x  y  z  9
D d  x  y  2 z  6
g
e
h
f
i

j b c
Dx  k e f
l h i
a j c
Dy  k k f
g l i
a b j
Dz  d e k
g h l
Dx Dy D
x y z z
D D D
What Next?
 Section 4.1 –
Solving Linear Inequalities