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Matrix Determinants Explained

A determinant is a scalar value calculated from a square matrix that represents its signed magnitude. It is calculated by summing the products of each row or column element and its corresponding cofactor. A cofactor is the minor of an element multiplied by (-1) to the power of the sum of its row and column indices. For a 2x2 matrix, the determinant can be directly calculated by subtracting the product of diagonal elements from the product of off-diagonal elements.

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Dreian Calaoagan Palalay
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268 views3 pages

Matrix Determinants Explained

A determinant is a scalar value calculated from a square matrix that represents its signed magnitude. It is calculated by summing the products of each row or column element and its corresponding cofactor. A cofactor is the minor of an element multiplied by (-1) to the power of the sum of its row and column indices. For a 2x2 matrix, the determinant can be directly calculated by subtracting the product of diagonal elements from the product of off-diagonal elements.

Uploaded by

Dreian Calaoagan Palalay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

DETERMINANTS

A determinant is a scalar-valued function whose domain is a set of square matrices.

If a matrix A is a square matrix, then we associate Matrix A with a number denoted by

|𝐴| = det 𝐴
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝐴 = [𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 ]
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
Then
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑎
|𝐴| = | 21 𝑎22 𝑎23 |
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
MINOR

Given any element 𝑎𝑖𝑗 of |𝐴|, a new determinant of order (n-1) obtained by removing all elements of
the 𝑖𝑡ℎ row and 𝑗 𝑡ℎ column called the minor 𝑎𝑖𝑗 .

Ex. Consider
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
|𝐴| = | 21 𝑎22
𝑎 𝑎23 |
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33
The minor of 𝑎23 is a 2 × 2 matrix obtained by removing the elements of row 2 and column 3,
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13
𝑎11 𝑎12
|𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23 | and therefore the minor of 𝑎23 = |𝑎 |
31 𝑎32
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33

CO-FACTOR

If the minor is multiplied by (−1)𝑖+𝑗 , the resulting matrix is called the co-factor of 𝑎𝑖𝑗 and denoted
by 𝐴𝑖𝑗 .
𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎11 𝑎12
Ex. The co-factor of 𝑎𝑖𝑗 , which is 𝐴𝑖𝑗 = (−1)2+3 |𝑎 𝑎32 | = −1 |𝑎31 𝑎32 |or
31
𝑎11 𝑎12
This is simply 𝐴𝑖𝑗 = − |𝑎 𝑎32 |
31

The multiplier of co-factor,(−1)𝑖+𝑗 can easily obtained by considering this matrix sign pattern
+ − +
|− + −|, the signs are the multipliers.
+ − +

DETERMINANT OF A MATRIX

• A determinant of a matrix with a single element is that elements.


• The value of any determinant of order two or more is equal to the sum of the products of
the elements of its row or column and their respective co-factors.
Ex. Considering row 1 for a 3 × 3 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑥,
|𝐴| = 𝑎11 𝐴11 + 𝑎12 𝐴12 + 𝑎13 𝐴13

Sample Problem
1 2
1. Find the determinant of 𝐴 = [ ]
3 4
Solution.
|𝐴| = |1 2|
3 4
Use row 1 as reference row
|𝐴| = 𝑎11 𝐴11 + 𝑎12 𝐴12
|𝐴| = (1){(−1)1+1 |4|} + (2){(−1)1+2 |3|} …note here that the determinant of a
|𝐴| = (1){1(4)} + (2){−1(3)} single element is that element
|𝐴| = (1)(4) + (2)(−3)
|𝐴| = 4 − 6
|𝐴| = −2

1 2
For 2 x 2 matrix for can simply use this method | |. Multiplying elements going
3 4
downward minus going upward, that is 1(4) − 3(2) = −2]

1 2 −3
2. Find the determinant of [ 2 0 −1]
−1 1 4
Solution
1 2 −3
Let 𝐴 = [ 2 0 −1]
−1 1 4
1 2 −3
det 𝑜𝑓 𝐴 = |𝐴| = | 2 0 −1|
−1 1 4
Considering row 1 as reference

|𝐴| = 𝑎11 𝐴11 + 𝑎12 𝐴12 + 𝑎13 𝐴13


0 −1
𝐴11 = (−1)1+1 | | = 1{0(4) − (1)(−1)} = 1{1} = 1
1 4
2 −1
𝐴12 = (−1)1+2 | | = −1{2(4) − (−1)(−1)} = −1{8 − 1} = −7
−1 4
2 0
𝐴13 = (−1)1+3 | | = 1{2(1) − (−1)(0)} = 1{2 − 0} = 2
−1 1
|𝐴| = 𝑎11 𝐴11 + 𝑎12 𝐴12 + 𝑎13 𝐴13
|𝐴| = (1)(1) + (2)(−7) + (−3)(2)

|𝑨| = −𝟏𝟗

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