1

MATRICES

A determinant is a square array of numbers

(written within a pair of vertical lines) which
represents a certain sum of products. On the
right is an example of a 3 × 3 determinant (it
has 3 rows and 3 columns).

The result of multiplying out, then simplifying the elements of a determinant is a single number
(a scalar quantity).

In general, we find the value of a 2 × 2 determinant We multiply the diagonals (top left ×
with elements a, b, c, d as follows: bottom right first), then subtract. Eg:

We will see how to expand a 3 × 3

determinant as in the box across.

A 3 × 3 determinant can be
evaluated in various ways.

We will use the method called

"expansion by minors". But first, we
need a definition.The 2 × 2
→

determinant The cofactor is formed from the elements that are not in
the same row as a1 and not in the same column as a1.
is called the cofactor of a1 for the 3
× 3 determinant:

is called the cofactor of a2. It is formed from the

elements not in the same row as a2 and not in the same
Similarly, the determinant column as a2.

We continue the pattern for the

cofactor of a3. We evaluate our 3 × 3
determinant using expansion by
minors. This involves multiplying the
elements in the first column of the
determinant by the cofactors of those
elements. We subtract the middle
product and add the final product.

Note that we are working down the first column and multiplying by the cofactor of each
element.
 2

= -2[(-1)(2) − (-8)(4)] − 5[(3)(2) − (-8)(-1)] +

4[(3)(4) − (-1)(-1)]

= -2(30) − 5(-2) + 4(11)

= -60 + 10 + 44

= -6

Here, we are expanding by the first column. We can do the expansion by using the first row and
we will get the same result.

Reminder: We can only find the determinant of a square matrix. For example, if A is the
square matrix.

Adjoint Matrix (can be extended to any size)

The inverse of a 3×3 matrix is given by:

𝑎𝑑𝑗𝐴
𝐴−1 =
𝑑𝑒𝑡𝐴
"adj A" is short for "the adjoint of A". We use cofactors (that we met earlier) to determine the
adjoint of a matrix.

We find the adjoint matrix by replacing each element in the matrix with its cofactor and
applying a + or - sign as follows:

and then finding the transpose of the resulting matrix. The transpose means the 1st column
becomes the 1st row; 2nd column becomes 2nd row, etc.

Find the inverse of

Interchange rows and columns: Det A =

 3

So:

Solve the system using matrix methods.

So the solution to the system of equations is:

Check:

22 + 2(-16) - (-16) = 6

3(22) + 5(-16) - (-16) = 2

-2(22) - (16) - 2(-16) = 4

So the solution is x = 22, y = -16 and z = -16.