MODULE 03

PROPERTIES OF DETERMINANTS
PREPARED BY: JOHN VINCENT G. TONGOL, RCE
 DETERMINANTS

The term determinant of a square matrix A, denoted 𝒅𝒆𝒕(𝑨) or 𝑨 , refers to

both the collection of the elements of the square matrix, enclosed in vertical
lines, and the scalar value represented by that array.
𝑎11 𝑎12 ⋯ 𝑎1𝑛 𝑎11 𝑎12 ⋯ 𝑎1𝑛
𝑎21 𝑎22 ⋯ 𝑎2𝑛 𝑎21 𝑎22 ⋯ 𝑎2𝑛
𝐴= ⋮ ⋮ ⋱ ⋮ 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐴 = 𝐴 = ⋮ ⋮ ⋱ ⋮
𝑎𝑛1 𝑎𝑛2 ⋯ 𝑎𝑛𝑛 𝑎𝑛1 𝑎𝑛2 ⋯ 𝑎𝑛𝑛
Remember that only square matrices have determinants.
DETERMINANT OF
𝟐 × 𝟐 MATRICES

DETERMINANT OF
𝟑 × 𝟑 MATRICES

THEOREMS ON
DETERMINANTS

MINORS and COFACTORS

DETERMINANT OF
𝟐 × 𝟐 MATRICES
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟐 × 𝟐
MATRICES
The scalar value of the determinant of a 𝟐 × 𝟐 matrix is the product of the elements
on the major diagonal minus the product of the elements on the minor diagonal.
𝒂𝟏𝟏 𝒂𝟏𝟐
𝒅𝒆𝒕 𝑨 = 𝑨 = 𝒂 𝒂 = 𝒂𝟏𝟏 𝒂𝟐𝟐 − 𝒂𝟏𝟐 𝒂𝟐𝟏
𝟐𝟏 𝟐𝟐
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟐 × 𝟐
MATRICES
Example 1:
Solve for the determinant of the 2 × 2 matrix below.
3 6
𝐴=
−2 1
Solution:
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐴 = 𝐴 = 3 1 − 6 −2 = 15

Example 2:
Solve for the determinant of the 2 × 2 matrix below.
4 −2
𝐵=
−6 1
Solution:
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐵 = 𝐵 = 4 1 − −2 −6 = −8
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟐 × 𝟐
MATRICES
Example 3:
Solve for the determinant of the 2 × 2 matrix below.
0 1
𝐶=
1 −2
Solution:
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐶 = 𝐶 = 0 −2 − 1 1 = −1

Example 4:
Solve for the determinant of the 2 × 2 matrix below.
6 4
𝐸=
3 2
Solution:
𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐸 = 𝐸 = 6 2 − 4 3 = 0
DETERMINANT OF
𝟑 × 𝟑 MATRICES
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟑 × 𝟑
MATRICES
Consider the 3 × 3 matrix
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝐴 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
The scalar value of the determinant of a 3 × 3 matrix is composed of the sum of six
triple products which can be obtained from the augmented determinant:
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝐴 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32
The 3 × 3 determinant is augmented by repeating the first two columns of the
determinant on the right-hand side of the determinant.
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟑 × 𝟑
MATRICES
Get the product of all the elements in the
main diagonal and those parallel to it.
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎11 𝑎22 𝑎33 + 𝑎12 𝑎23 𝑎31 + 𝑎13 𝑎21 𝑎32
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟑 × 𝟑
MATRICES
Get the product of all the elements in the
main diagonal and those parallel to it.
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎11 𝑎22 𝑎33 + 𝑎12 𝑎23 𝑎31 + 𝑎13 𝑎21 𝑎32
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32

Get the product of all the elements in the

minor diagonal and those parallel to it.
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎31 𝑎22 𝑎13 +𝑎32 𝑎23 𝑎11 +𝑎33 𝑎21 𝑎12
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟑 × 𝟑
MATRICES
Get the product of all the elements in the
main diagonal and those parallel to it.
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32
𝑎11 𝑎22 𝑎33 + 𝑎12 𝑎23 𝑎31 + 𝑎13 𝑎21 𝑎32
𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝑨 = 𝑨 =
Get the product of all the elements in the 𝒂11 𝒂22 𝒂33 + 𝒂12 𝒂23 𝒂31 + 𝒂13 𝒂21 𝒂32
minor diagonal and those parallel to it. − 𝒂31 𝒂22 𝒂13 + 𝒂32 𝒂23 𝒂11 + 𝒂33 𝒂21 𝒂12
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32
𝑎31 𝑎22 𝑎13 + 𝑎32 𝑎23 𝑎11 + 𝑎33 𝑎21 𝑎12
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟑 × 𝟑
MATRICES
Solution:
Example 1:
Solve for the determinant Create augmented matrix
2 3 −1 2 3
of the 3 × 3 matrix below.
𝐴 = 1 −2 3 1 −2
2 3 −1 3 1 −2 3 1
𝐴 = 1 −2 3
3 1 −2 = 2 −2 −2 + 3 3 3
+ −1 1 1 = 8 + 27 − 1 = 34

= 3 −2 1 + 1 3 2
+ −2 1 3 = 6 + 6 − 6 = 6

𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝑨 = 𝑨 = 𝟑𝟒 − 𝟔 = 𝟐𝟖
 DETERMINANT OF 𝟑 × 𝟑
MATRICES
Solution:
Example 1:
Solve for the determinant Create augmented matrix
1 2 −3 1 2
of the 3 × 3 matrix below.
𝐵 = 4 0 1 4 0
1 2 −3 2 2 0 2 2
𝐵= 4 0 1
2 2 0 = 1 0 0 + 2 1 2
+ −3 4 2 = 0 + 4 − 24 = −20

= 2 0 −3 + 2 1 1
+ 0 4 2 =0+2+0=2

𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝑩 = 𝑩 = −𝟐𝟎 − 𝟐 = −𝟐𝟐

THEOREMS ON
DETERMINANTS
 THEOREM 1 on
DETERMINANTS
The number of terms in the expansion of a determinant of order “n” is 𝑛! Thus,
Order Number of Terms
2 2! = 1 · 2 = 2
3 3! = 1 · 2 · 3 = 6
4 4! = 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 = 24
5 5! = 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 = 120
⋮ ⋮
𝑛 𝑛! 𝒂𝟏𝟏 𝒂𝟏𝟐
𝒅𝒆𝒕 𝑨 = 𝑨 = 𝒂 𝒂𝟐𝟐 = 𝒂𝟏𝟏 𝒂𝟐𝟐 − 𝒂𝟏𝟐 𝒂𝟐𝟏
𝟐𝟏

𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝑩 = 𝑩 = 𝒂11 𝒂22 𝒂33 + 𝒂12 𝒂23 𝒂31 + 𝒂13 𝒂21 𝒂32 − 𝒂31 𝒂22 𝒂13 + 𝒂32 𝒂23 𝒂11 + 𝒂33 𝒂21 𝒂12
 THEOREM 2 on
DETERMINANTS
If the corresponding rows and columns of a determinant are interchanged, its
value is unchanged. Thus,
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎21 𝑎31
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 = 𝑎12 𝑎22 𝑎32
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎13 𝑎23 𝑎33
 THEOREM 3 on
DETERMINANTS
If any two columns (or rows) of a determinant are interchanged the sign of the
determinant is changed.

𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎12 𝑎11 𝑎13

𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 = − 𝑎22 𝑎21 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎32 𝑎31 𝑎33

𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33

𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 = − 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
 THEOREM 4 on
DETERMINANTS
If all the elements in any column (or row) of a determinant are zero, its value is
zero.
𝑎11 𝑎12 0
𝑎21 𝑎22 0 = 0
𝑎31 𝑎32 0
 THEOREM 5 on
DETERMINANTS
If any two columns (or rows) of a determinant have their corresponding
elements identical or proportional, its value is zero.

7 5 2 3 6 5
1 4 3 =0 2 4 3 =0
7 5 2 1 2 1
 THEOREM 6 on
DETERMINANTS
If each element of a column (or row) in a determinant is multiplied by the same
number k, the value of the determinant is multiplied by k.
𝑎11 𝑘𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑎21 𝑘𝑎22 𝑎23 = 𝑘 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑘𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
𝑘𝑎11 𝑘𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑘𝑎21 𝑘𝑎22 𝑎23 = 𝑘 2 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑘𝑎31 𝑘𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
𝑘𝑎11 𝑘𝑎12 𝑘𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑘𝑎21 𝑘𝑎22 𝑘𝑎23 = 𝑘 3 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑘𝑎31 𝑘𝑎32 𝑘𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
 THEOREM 7 on
DETERMINANTS
If three determinants D1, D2 and D3 have corresponding elements equal except
for one column (or row) in which the elements of D1 are the sums of the
corresponding elements of D2 and D3, then D1 = D2 + D3.
𝑎11 + 𝑏11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑏11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑎21 + 𝑏21 𝑎22 𝑎23 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 + 𝑏21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 + 𝑏31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑏31 𝑎32 𝑎33
 THEOREM 8 on
DETERMINANTS
If each element of any column (or row) of a determinant is multiplied by the
same number k and added to the corresponding elements of another column
(or row), the value of the determinant is unchanged.

𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎11 𝑎12 + 𝑘𝑎11 𝑎13

𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 + 𝑘𝑎21 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎32 + 𝑘𝑎31 𝑎33
MINORS and
COFACTORS
 MINORS

The minor 𝑀𝑖𝑗 of the element 𝑎𝑖𝑗 in the 𝑖 𝑡ℎ row and 𝑗𝑡ℎ column in any
determinant of order 𝑛 is that new determinant of order (𝑛 − 1) formed from
the elements remaining after deleting the 𝑖 𝑡ℎ row and 𝑗𝑡ℎ column. Thus for the
determinant
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝐷 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33

𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑀21 = 𝑎 𝑎33 = 𝑎12 𝑎33 − 𝑎32 𝑎13
32

𝑎11 𝑎13
𝑀32 = 𝑎 𝑎23 = 𝑎11 𝑎23 − 𝑎21 𝑎13
21
 COFACTORS

The cofactor 𝐴𝑖𝑗 of the element 𝑎𝑖𝑗 in any determinant of order 𝑛 is that signed
minor determined by
𝐴𝑖𝑗 = (−1)𝑖+𝑗 𝑀𝑖𝑗

2+1
𝑎12 𝑎13 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝐴21 = −1 𝑎32 𝑎33 = − 𝑎32 𝑎33
𝐴21 = −(𝑎12 𝑎33 − 𝑎32 𝑎13 )

1+3
𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎21 𝑎22
𝐴13 = −1 𝑎31 𝑎32 = + 𝑎31 𝑎32
𝐴13 = 𝑎21 𝑎32 − 𝑎31 𝑎22
THANK YOU!