[8] Matrices and Determinants

DETERMINANTS

DEFINITION
When an algebraic or numerical expression is expressed in a square form containing some rows and columns, this
square form is named as a determinant of that expression. For example when expression a1b2 – a2 b1 is expressed
in the form
a1 b1
a2 b2
,
then it is called a determinant of order 2, Clearly a determinant of order 2 contains 2 rows and 2 columns.
Similarly
a1 b1 c1
a2 b2 c2
is a determinant of order 3.
a3 b3 c3
Obviously in every determinant, the number of rows and columns are equal and this number is called the order of
that determinant.

REPRESENTATION OF A DETERMINANT
Generally we use  or |A| symbols to express a determinant and a determinant of order 3 is represented by
a11 a12 a13
a21 a22 a23
a31 a32 a33
It should be noted that the ( i, j)th element ( i.e., the element of the ith row and jth column) of the determinant has
been expressed by aij , i = 1 , 2 , 3 ; j = 1,2,3 . The elements for which i = j are called diagonal elements and the
diagonal containing them is called principal diagonal or simply diagonal of the determinant. For the above determinant
a11 , a22 , a33 are diagonal elements.
A determinant is called a triangular determinant if its every element above or below the diagonal is zero. For
example

a 0 0
b c 0
d e f

is a triangular determinant. In particular when all the elements except diagonal elements are zero, then it is called
a diagonal determinant. For example

a 0 0
0 b 0
0 0 c

is a diagonal determinant.
We generally use R1, R2, R3, ........ to denote first, second, third .... row and C1, C2 , C3 ......... to denote first,
second, third ..... column of a determinant.

VALUE OF A DETERMINANT
The expression which has been expressed in a determinant form is called the value of that determinant.
To find the value of a third order determinant
Matrices and Determinants [9]

a11 a12 a13

Let   a 21 a 22 a 23
a 31 a 32 a 33

be a third order determinant. To find its value we expand it by any row or column as the sum of three determinants
of order 2. If we expand it by first row then
a 22 a 23 a a 23 a a 22
  ( 1)11a11  ( 1)1 2 a12 21  (1)13 21
a 32 a 33 a 31 a33 a 31 a 32

a 22 a 23 a a 23 a 21 a 22
 a11  a12 21 
a 32 a 33 a 31 a 33 a 31 a 32

MINOR AND COFACTOR OF AN ELEMENT

MINOR OF AN ELEMENT
Minor of an element of the determinants is obtain by leaving the row and column containing that element and
retaining rest of elements.

a11 a12 a13 a22 a23 a21 a23

If   a21 a22 a23 , then minor of a11 is M11 = a a33
. Similarly M12 = a a
32 31 33
a31 a32 a33

Using this concept the value of Determinant can be

 = a11 M11 – a12 M12 + a13 M13
or  = – a21 M21 + a22 M22 – a23 M23
or  = a31 M31 – a32 M32 + a33 M33
COFACTOR OF AN ELEMENT
The cofactor of an element ai j is denoted by Ci j and is equal to (–1) i + j Mi j where Mi j is a minor of element ai j

a11 a12 a13

If   a21 a22 a23
a31 a32 a33

a22 a23
then C11 = (–1)1 + 1 M11 = M11 = a a33
32

a21 a23
C12 = (–1)1 + 2 M12 = –M12 = – a a
31 33

Note :- (i) The sum of products of the element of any row with their corresponding cofactor is equal to the value
of determinant i.e.  = a11 C11 + a12 C12 + a13 C13
(ii) The sum of the product of element of any row with corresponding cofactor of another row is equal to
zero i.e. a11 C21 + a12 C22 + a13 C23 = 0
(iii) If order of a determinant (  ) is 'n' then the value of the determinant formed by replacing every
element by its cofactor is  n–1
[10] Matrices and Determinants

PROPERTIES OF DETERMINANTS
If the elements of a determinant are complicated expressions or numbers, then it is very difficult to find its value
by expansion method. In such cases we reduce the determinant into a simple one using the following properties.
P–1 The value of a determinant is unchanged if its rows and columns are interchanged. For example

a b c a p u
p q r  b q v
u v w c r w

P–2 The interchange of any two consecutive rows or columns will simply change the sign of the value of the
determinant. For example

a b c b a c p q r
p q r  q p r  a b c
u v w v u w u v w

P–3 If any two rows or columns of a determinant are identical then its value is zero. For example

a b c a a b
a b c 0  p p q
u v w u u v

P–4 If each element of a row or column of a determinant be multiplied by a number, then its value is also multiplied
by that number. For example

ka kb kc a b c ka b c
p q r k p q r  kp q r
u v w u v w ku v w

P–5 If each entry in a row or column of a determinant is the sum of two numbers, then the determinant can be written
as the sum of two determinants. For example

a   b  c   a b c    a b c a b c  b c
p q r  p q r  p q r p q r  p q r   q r
and
u v w u v w u v w u  v w u v w  v w

P–6 The value of a determinant does not change if the elements of a row ( column) are added to or subtracted from
the corresponding elements of another row ( column). For example

a b c a  b   c b c
p q r  p  q   r q r
u v w u  v   w v w

P–7 If  = f (x) and f(a) = 0, then (x –a) is a factor of  . For example in the determinant
1 1 1 1 1 1
a b c b b c =0
 = if we replace a by b then  =
a2 b2 c2 b2 b2 c2
 ( a– b) is a factor of  .

P–8 If each entry in any row (or column) of a determinant is zero, then the value of determinant is equal to zero.
Matrices and Determinants [11]

MULTIPLICATION OF TWO DETERMINANTS

Multipication of two second order determinants is defined as follows
a1 b1 l1 m1 a1l 1  b1l 2 a1m1  b1m2
 
a2 b2 l2 m2 a2 l 1  b2 l 2 a2m1  b 2m2
Multiplication of two third order determinants is defined as follows
a1 b1 c1 l1 m1 n1 a1l1  b1l 2  c1l 3 a1m1  b1m2  c1m3 a1n1  b1n2  c1n3
a2 b2 c 2  l 2 m 2 n2  a2 l1  b2 l 2  c 2 l 3 a2m1  b2m2  c 2m3 a2n1  b2n2  c 3 n3
a3 b3 c3 l3 m3 n3 a3 l1  b3 l 2  c 3 l 3 a3 m1  b3m2  c 3m3 a3 n1  b3 n2  c 3 n3

Note : In above case the order of Determinant is same, if the order is different then for their multiplication first
of all they should be expressed in the same order

SYMMETRIC & SKEW SYMMETRIC DETERMINANT

Symmetric determinant
A determinant is called symmetric Determinant if for its every element.
ai j = a j i  i , j
Skew Symmetric determinant
A determinant is called skew Symmetric determinant if for its every element
a i j = – a j i  i, j ;
Note : (i) Every diagonal element of a skew symmetric determinant is always zero
(ii) The value of a skew symmetric determinant of even order is always a perfect square and that of
odd order is always zero.
i.e. (order = 2) i.e. (order = 3)

APPLICATIONS OF DETERMINANT
CRAMMER'S RULE :
Let the system of equations be
a1 x + b1 y + c1z = d1
a2x + b2y + c2z = d2
a3x + b3y + c3z = d3
a1 b1 c1 d1 b1 c1 a1 d1 c1 a1 b1 d1
  a2 b2 c2
and , 1  d2 b2 c 2  2  a2 d2 c2
, 3  a2 b2 d2
a3 b3 c3 d3 b3 c3 a3 d3 c3 a3 b3 d3
then (i) If   0 , then given system of equations is consistent i.e. has unique solution and its solution is
1  
x , y  2 , z 3
  
This is known as Crammer's rule
(ii) If  = 0 and atleast one of  1 ,  2 ,  3 is not zero, then the system of equations is inconsistent i.e. it
has no solution.
(iii) If  = 0 and  1 = 0 =  2 =  3 , then the system has infinite solutions.
(iv) If  = 0 and d1 = 0 = d2 = d3 , then the system of equations has infinite solutions ( non-zero solution) i.e.
non-trivial solutions
[12] Matrices and Determinants

(v) If   0 and d1 = 0 = d2 = d3, then the system of equations has a unique solution x = 0 , y = 0 , z = 0 i.e.,
zero solution or trivial solution.

DIFFERENTIATION OF A DETERMINANT :

f1 (x) g1 (x) h1 (x)

Let (x)  f 2 (x) g 2 (x) h 2 (x) ,
f 3 (x) g3 (x) h 3 (x)
f1 '(x) g '1 (x) h '1 (x) f1 (x) g1 (x) h1 (x) f1 (x) g1 (x) h1 (x)
then  '(x)  f 2 (x) g 2 (x) h 2 (x)  f '2 (x) g '2 (x) h '2 (x)  f 2 (x) g 2 (x) h 2 (x)
f 3 (x) g 3 (x) h 3 (x) f3 (x) g3 (x) h 3 (x) f '3 (x) g '3 (x) h '3 (x)

INTEGRATION OF DETERMINATION

f (x) g(x) h(x)

Let (x)  p q r , where p, q, r, l, m and n are constants.
l m n

b b b

b 
a
f (x)dx 
a
g(x)dx 
a
h(x)dx

Then a
(x)dx  p q r
l m n

USE OF SUMMATION

n n n
2 3
r r 2 3
r n
r r r
r 1 r 1 r 1
If f (r)  p q
1 2 3
t , where p, q, t are constants, then  f (r) 
r 1
p
1
q
2
t
3