Determinants

Hoang Hai Ha

HCMUT-OISP
Email: [email protected]

February 20, 2024

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 1 / 24

Outline

1 Some applications

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 2 / 24

Outline

1 Some applications

2 Determinants

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 2 / 24

Evaluating the area of the triangle

¯ ¯
¯ 2, 5 1 1 ¯
1 −→ −→ 1 ¯ ¯ 5
S = abs|[ AB , AC ]| = abs ¯¯ 3 2 1 ¯¯ =
2 2 ¯ 1 3 1 ¯ 4

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 3 / 24

Evaluating the volume of the parallelepiped

→
−a = (a 1 , a 2 , a 3 );
→
− →
−
b = (b 1 , b 2 , b 3 ); c = (c 1 , c 2 , c 3 )
¯ ¯
¯ a1 a2 a3 ¯
→
− −
⇒ V = abs([→
−
a × b ], →
¯ ¯
c ) = abs ¯¯ b 1 b 2 b 3 ¯¯
¯ c1 c2 c3 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 4 / 24

Definition 2.1
If A = (a i j ) is a square matrix, then the determinant of A is a number.
We denote it by d et (A) or |A|.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 5 / 24

Definition 2.1
If A = (a i j ) is a square matrix, then the determinant of A is a number.
We denote it by d et (A) or |A|.

Determinant of a matrix order 2 × 2

µ ¶
a 11 a 12
Let A = , then |A| = d et (A) = a 11 a 22 − a 12 a 21 .
a 21 a 22

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 5 / 24

Definition 2.2
If A = (a i j )n×n is a square matrix, then the minor of entry a i j is
denoted by M i j and is defined to be the determinant of the submatrix
of order (n − 1) that remains after the i −th row and j −column are
deleted from A.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 6 / 24

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a1 j a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1) j a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
¯ ¯
|A| = ¯¯ a i 1 ... a i ( j −1) ai j a i ( j +1) ... ai n ¯
¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1) j a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯ ¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a . . . a n)( j −1) an j a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
n1 n×n

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 7 / 24

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a1 j a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1) j a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
¯ ¯
|A| = ¯¯ a i 1 ... a i ( j −1) ai j a i ( j +1) ... ai n ¯
¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1) j a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯ ¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a . . . a n)( j −1) an j a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
n1 n×n
 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a1 j a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1) j a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
¯ ¯
|A| = ¯¯ a i 1 ... a i ( j −1) ai j a i ( j +1) ... ai n ¯
¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1) j a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯ ¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a . . . a n)( j −1) an j a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
n1 n×n

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 7 / 24

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
.. ..
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
Mi j = ¯¯ ¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a n1 ... a n( j −1) a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
(n−1)×(n−1)

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 8 / 24

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
.. ..
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
Mi j = ¯¯ ¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a n1 ... a n( j −1) a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
(n−1)×(n−1)

Definition 2.3
If A = (a i j )n×n is a square matrix, then the number C i j = (−1)i + j M i j
is called the cofactor of entry a i j .

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 8 / 24

Definition 2.4
Determinant of a square matrix can be computed by a cofactor
expansion along any row or column. That is,
n
X
d et (A) = a i j C i j = a i 1C i 1 + a i 2C i 2 + . . . + a i n C i n
j =1

or
n
X
d et (A) = ai j C i j = a1 j C 1 j + a2 j C 2 j + . . . + an j C n j .
i =1

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 9 / 24

Example 2.1
 
1 2 3
Find the determinant of A =  4 2 1  .
3 1 5

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Example 2.1
 
1 2 3
Find the determinant of A =  4 2 1  .
3 1 5

Example 2.2
 
1 2 3
Evaluate d et A where A =  0 2 0 
3 1 5

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 10 / 24

Elementary row (or column) operations affect on a
determinant

r i ↔r j (c i ↔c j )
1 If A −−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = −d et A .

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Elementary row (or column) operations affect on a
determinant

r i ↔r j (c i ↔c j )
1 If A −−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = −d et A .
r i →λr i (c i →λc i )
2 If A −−−−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = λd et A where λ ̸= 0.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 11 / 24

Elementary row (or column) operations affect on a
determinant

r i ↔r j (c i ↔c j )
1 If A −−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = −d et A .
r i →λr i (c i →λc i )
2 If A −−−−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = λd et A where λ ̸= 0.
r i →r i +λ.r j (c i →c i +λc j )
3 If A −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−→ B then
d et B = d et A, ∀λ ∈ K

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 11 / 24

The determinant of a triangular matrix

Example 2.3
Find determinant of the following matrix:
 
a 11 a 12 a 13 a 14
 0 a 22 a 23 a 24 
A= 
 0 0 a 33 a 34 
0 0 0 a 44
.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 12 / 24

The determinant of a triangular matrix

Example 2.3
Find determinant of the following matrix:
 
a 11 a 12 a 13 a 14
 0 a 22 a 23 a 24 
A= 
 0 0 a 33 a 34 
0 0 0 a 44
.

Determinant of a triangular matrix is equal to the product of all

entries on the main diagonal.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 12 / 24

Steps for evaluating determinant

Select one element (1 or −1 is the best choice), use elementary

row operation to eliminate all the entries in the same column of
the selected one.
Using co-factor expansion along the above column.

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Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯

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Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
¯ 3 −5 2 ¯ ======
¯ ¯ r 2 →r 2 −r 1
¯ 5 4 3 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 14 / 24

Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯ ¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ 3 −5 2 ¯ ====== ¯ 1 −8 6 ¯ r======
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ 1 →r 1 −2r 2
¯ ¯ r 2 →r 2 −r 1 ¯ ¯ r →r −5r
¯ 5 4 3 ¯ ¯ 5 4 3 ¯ 3 3 2

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 14 / 24

Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯ ¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ 3 −5 2 ¯ ====== ¯ 1 −8 6 ¯ r======
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ 1 →r 1 −2r 2
¯ ¯ r 2 →r 2 −r 1 ¯ ¯ r →r −5r
¯ 5 4 3 ¯ ¯ 5 4 3 ¯ 3 3 2
¯ ¯
¯ 0 19 −16 ¯
¯ ¯ Cofactor expansion along the first column
¯ 1 −8 6 ¯ ======
¯ ¯
¯ 0 44 −27 ¯
¯ ¯
2+1
¯ 19 −16 ¯
= 1.(−1) . ¯¯ ¯ = −191.
44 −27 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 14 / 24

Some conditions imply a zero determinant

Let A be a square matrix, then |A| = 0 if one of the followings holds.

An entire row (or an entire column) consists of zeros.
One row (or column) is a multiple of another row (or column).

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Some conditions imply a zero determinant

Let A be a square matrix, then |A| = 0 if one of the followings holds.

An entire row (or an entire column) consists of zeros.
One row (or column) is a multiple of another row (or column).

Example 2.5
 
1 2 3 4
−1 0 8 6
Given A = 
2
. Find |A|.
4 6 8
9 9 1 4

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 15 / 24

Some conditions imply a zero determinant

Let A be a square matrix, then |A| = 0 if one of the followings holds.

An entire row (or an entire column) consists of zeros.
One row (or column) is a multiple of another row (or column).

Example 2.5
 
1 2 3 4
−1 0 8 6
Given A = 
2
. Find |A|.
4 6 8
9 9 1 4

Answer. We can get immediately that |A| = 0 because the third row is
a multiple of the first one.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 15 / 24

The determinant of a matrix product

Theorem 2.1
If A, B are square matrices of the same size, then

d et (AB ) = d et (A).d et (B ) (1)

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Example 2.6
     
1 2 3 7 8 9 12 8 30
A =  4 −2 6  , B =  4 −3 6  AB =  14 50 42 
2 8 9 −1 2 3 37 10 93
Verify that

d et (A).d et (B ) = (−6).(−246) = d et (AB ) = 1476

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Corollary 2.1
Let A, B be square matrices of the same size n.
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .

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Corollary 2.1
Let A, B be square matrices of the same size n.
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .
2 d et (αA) = αn .d et A.

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Corollary 2.1
Let A, B be square matrices of the same size n.
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .
2 d et (αA) = αn .d et A.
1
3 d et (A −1 ) = .
d et (A)
4 d et (A T ) = d et (A).

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Corollary 2.1
Let A, B be square matrices of the same size n.
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .
2 d et (αA) = αn .d et A.
1
3 d et (A −1 ) = .
d et (A)
4 d et (A T ) = d et (A).

Note.
A square matrix A is invertible if and only if |A| ̸= 0.

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Example 2.7
   
1 2 1 1 1 1
Evaluate d et (X ) if X satisfies  0 1 4  X =  1 2 −1 
0 0 1 3 5 2

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 19 / 24

Example 2.7
   
1 2 1 1 1 1
Evaluate d et (X ) if X satisfies  0 1 4  X =  1 2 −1 
0 0 1 3 5 2
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 1 2 1 ¯ ¯ 1 1 1 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
We have ¯¯ 0 1 4 ¯¯ .d et (X ) = ¯¯ 1 2 −1 ¯¯
¯ 0 0 1 ¯ ¯ 3 5 2 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 19 / 24

Example 2.7
   
1 2 1 1 1 1
Evaluate d et (X ) if X satisfies  0 1 4  X =  1 2 −1 
0 0 1 3 5 2
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 1 2 1 ¯ ¯ 1 1 1 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
We have ¯¯ 0 1 4 ¯¯ .d et (X ) = ¯¯ 1 2 −1 ¯¯
¯ 0 0 1 ¯ ¯ 3 5 2 ¯

⇒ 1.d et (X ) = 3 ⇒ d et (X ) = 3.

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Example 2.8
 
−1 0 0
Given A =  2 1 0  , evaluate d et (A 2011 ).
4 3 1

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Example 2.8
 
−1 0 0
Given A =  2 1 0  , evaluate d et (A 2011 ).
4 3 1

We have
d et (A 2011 ) = (d et A)2011 = (−1)2011 = −1.

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Example 2.9
   
3 −2 6 0 0 −1
If A =  0 1 4  , B =  0 2 5  , then evaluate d et (2AB ).
0 0 1 1 −2 7

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Example 2.9
   
3 −2 6 0 0 −1
If A =  0 1 4  , B =  0 2 5  , then evaluate d et (2AB ).
0 0 1 1 −2 7

We have
d et (2AB ) = 23 .d et A.d et B = 8 × 3 × 2 = 48.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 21 / 24

Example 2.10
   
0 −8 3 −5 2 −4
Let A = 1 −5 9 and B =  6 −2 3 . Compute |3A 15 B −1 |.
2 3 8 7 5 4

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Example 2.11
  
1 1 0 1 2 −1
Given the matrix A =  2 1 −1 1 3 0 . Find all values of
−1 0 a 0 0 b
a, b such that A is invertible.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 23 / 24

Example 2.11
  
1 1 0 1 2 −1
Given the matrix A =  2 1 −1 1 3 0 . Find all values of
−1 0 a 0 0 b
a, b such that A is invertible.

Solution.
A is invertible if |A| ̸= 0.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 23 / 24

Example 2.11
  
1 1 0 1 2 −1
Given the matrix A =  2 1 −1 1 3 0 . Find all values of
−1 0 a 0 0 b
a, b such that A is invertible.

Solution.
A is invertible if |A| ̸= 0.
Since A = BC , we find a, b such that |A| ̸= 0 and |B | ̸= 0.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants February 20, 2024 23 / 24

Example 2.11
  
1 1 0 1 2 −1
Given the matrix A =  2 1 −1 1 3 0 . Find all values of
−1 0 a 0 0 b
a, b such that A is invertible.

Solution.
A is invertible if |A| ̸= 0.
Since A = BC , we find a, b such that |A| ̸= 0 and |B | ̸= 0.

¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯1 1 0¯ ¯1 1 0¯ ¯ ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ 1 −1¯
|B | = ¯ 2 1 −1¯ = ¯ 1 0 −1¯ = − ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ = −(a − 1),
¯−1 0 a ¯ ¯−1 0 a ¯ −1 a ¯
¯ ¯
¯1 2 −1¯
¯ ¯
|C | = ¯¯1 3 0 ¯¯ = b.
¯0 0 b ¯

Thus, a ̸= 1 and b ̸= 0.
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 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

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