DETERMINANTS

Total No.of questions in Determinants are -

Level # 1 ................................................................................... 41
Level # 2 ................................................................................... 19
Level # 3 ................................................................................... 14
Level # 4 ................................................................................... 23

Total No. of questions ............................................................. 97

 LEVEL # 1
Questions Questions
based on Expansion of Determinants based on

a 1 1 1 Q.6 The cofactors of 1, – 2, – 3 and 4 in

Q.1 If 1 1 1 = 4, then the value a is -
1 1 1 1 2
are -
3 4
(A) 1 (B) – 1 (C) –2 (D) 0
(A) 4, 3, 2, 1 (B) – 4, 3, 2, –1
(C) 4, – 3, – 2, 1 (D)– 4, – 3, – 2, – 1
x y 2 3
Q.2 If = 7 and = 4, then - Q.7 The minors of the elements of the first row in the
4 2 y x

2 1 4
5
(A) x = – 3, y = – 4 2 3
2 determinant are-
1 1 2
5
(B) x = – , y = – 3 (A) 2, 7, 11 (B) 7, 11, 2
2
(C) 11, 2, 7 (D) 7, 2, 11
5
(C) x = 3, y =
2
a1 b1 c1
5
(C) x = , y = 3 Q.8 If  = a 2 b2 c2 and A 2, B 2 , C 2 are
2
a3 b3 c3

respectively cofactors of a2, b2, c2 then

5  i 3 i a1A2 + b1B2 + c1C2 is equal to -
Q.3 The value of is -
4i 5 i (A) –  (B) 0
(C)  (D) None of these
(A) 12 (B) 17 (C) 14 (D) 24

Q.9 If A = (aij) is a 4 × 4 matrix and cij is the

co-factor of the element aij in Det (A) , then
sec x sin x tan x
0 1 0 the expression a11c11+ a12c12+ a13c13 + a14 c14
Q.4 is equal to - equals-
tan x cot x sec x
(A) 0 (B) – 1
(A) 0 (B) – 1 (C) 1 (D) Det. (A)
(C) 1 (D) None of these
Q.10 If cof actor of 2x in the determinant
1 0 0
1
Q.5 The value of 3 x3 1 is - x 1 2
xy 3
5 y 1 1 2x x  1 is zero, then x equals to -
x 1 x 0
(A) x + y (B) x2 – xy + y2 (A) 0 (B) 2 (C) 1 (D) –1
(C) x2 + xy + y2 (D) x3 – y3
Questions
based on Some basic properties a ab abc
Q.17 The value of 2a 3 a  2b 4a  3b  2c is
a1 ma1 b1 3a 6a  3b 10a  6b  3 c
Q.11 The value of the determinant a2 ma2 b2
a3 ma3 b3 equal to -
is - (A) a3 (B) b3
(A) 0 (B) ma1a2a3 (C) c3 (D) a3 + b3 + c3
(C) ma1b2a2 (D) mb1b2b3
Q.18 The v alue of the determinant

a 0 0 p 2a 0 0 ka k 2  a2 1
b c a pb c a kb k 2  b 2 1 is -
Q.12 If  = , then is equal
c a b pc a b kc k 2  c 2 1
to -
(A) p  (B) p2  (A) k (a + b) (b + c) (c + a)
(C) p3  (D) 2p  (B) k abc (a2 + b2 + c2)
(C) k (a – b) (b – c) ( c – a)
(D) k (a + b – c) (b + c – a) (c + a – b)
1/ a 1 bc
Q.13 The value of the determinant 1/ b 1 ca is
1/ c 1 ab r x n(n  1) / 2 n
2
equal to Q.19 If Dr = 2r  1 y n , then D r
(A) abc (B) 1/abc 3r  2 z n(3n  1) / 2 r 1
(C) 0 (D) None of these
is equal to -
Q.14 If each row of a determinant of third order of
value  is multiplied by 3, then the value of 1 1 2
(A) n(n + 1)(2n + 1) (B) n (n + 1)2
new determinant is - 6 4
(A)  (B) 27  (C) 21  (D) 54  (C) 0 (D) None of these

Q.15 The sum of infinite series

a x a x a x
1 a x a x a x
1 2 Q.20 If = 0, then value of x
1 2 2 4
+ 2 + 2 + ........ is - a x a x a x
6 4 2 4 4
3 are-
(A) –10 (B) 0 (C) 10 (D)  (A) 0, a (B) 0, – a (C) a, – a (D) 0, 3a

a ma  nx x a b c
2 2
Q.16 The value of b mb  ny y is - a b c2
Q.21 The value of the determinant
c mc  nz z bc ca ab
(A) a + b + c is -
(B) x + y + z (A) abc (a – b) (b – c) (c – a)
(C) m(a + b + c) + n(x + y + z) (B) (a – b) (b – c) (c – a) (a + b + c)
(D) 0
(C) (a – b) (b – c) (c – a) (ab + bc + ca)
(D) None of these
 (A) –1, 2 (B) –1, 0
a2 b2 c2
(C) 2, 0 (D) 1, 2
Q.22 If (a  1) 2 (b  1)2 (c  1)2 = k
(a  1) 2 (b  1)2 (c  1)2
Q.28 If a, b, c are in A.P., then the value of
2 2 2
a b c x  2 x  3 x  2a
a b c x  3 x  4 x  2b equals -
, then k is equal to –
1 1 1 x  4 x  5 x  2c
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 4 (D) 0 (A) 1 (B) 0 (C) 2a (D) 2x

a b  c a3 1 i 1 i i
Q.23 The value of b c  a b3 is - 1 i i 1 i
Q.29 (where i = 1 ) equals -
c a  b c3 i 1 i 1 i
(A) (a – b) (b – c) (c – a) (A) 7 + 4i (B) 7 – 4i
(B) abc (a – b) (b – c) (c – a) (C) 4 + 7i (D) 4 – 7i
(C) – (a + b + c)2 (a – b) (b – c) (c – a)
(D) None of these
a a b a b c
Q.24 If x is real number such that
Q.30  = 3a 4a  3b
5a  4b  3c where
x 1 x  2 x   6a 9a  6b 11a  9b  6c
x 2 x 3 x = 0 then    are in a = i,b =   c =     then   is equal to-
x 3 x 4 x  (A) i (B) – 2 (C)  (D) – i

(A) A.P. (B) G.P.

(C) H.P. (D) None of these Q.31 The v alue of the determinant

( x  2) 2 ( x  1) 2 x2
1 1 1 ( x  1)2 x2 ( x  1)2 is -
2 2 2
Q.25 The determinant a b c x ( x  1) ( x  2)
2 2 2
a  bc b  ca c  ab
is equal to - (A) 0 (B) 8x 2 (C) 8 (D) –8
(A) 0 (B) 1
(C) – 1 (D) None of these 7579 7589
Q.32 =
7581 7591

1 1 1 (A) 20 (B) – 2 (C) – 20 (D) 4

m m 1 m 2
Q.26 C1 C1 C1 =
m m 1 m2
C2 C2 C2
3x 6 3
(A) m(m + 1) (B) m(m – 1) Q.33 If 6 3x 3 = 0 then x =
(C) 1 (D) 0
3 3 6  x
Q.27 Find the v alue of x in the equation
(A) 6 (B) 3
1 4 20 (C) 0 (D) None of these
1 2 5 = 0
1 2x 5x 2
Questions Symmetric and Skew symmetric Questions
based on Determenants based on Crammer’s Rule

Q.34 If A + B + C =  , then Q.38 The equations x + 2y + 3z = 1,

2x + y + 3z = 2 and 5x + 5y + 9z = 4 have-
sin( A  B  C) sinB cos C
(A) unique solution (B) many solutions
 sin B 0 tan A equals – (C) inconsistent (D) None of these
cos ( A  B)  tan A 0

Q.39 The existence of unique solution of the

(A) 0 (B) 2sin B tanA cosC
system x + y + z = b, 2x + 3y – z = 6,
(C) 1 (D) None of these 5x – y + az = 10 depends on ––
(A) b only (B) a only
Q.35 The value of an even order skew symmetric (C) a and b (D) neither a nor b
determinant is -
Q.40 Given the system of equations px + y + z =
(A) 0 (B) perfect square
1, x + py + z = p, x + y + pz = p2, then for
(C)  1 (D) None of these what value of p does this system have no
solution –
Q.36 The value of an odd order skew symmetric (A) 0 (B) 1, –2
determinant is - (C) 1 (D) 0, 1

(A) perfect square (B) negative

Q.41 The value of k for which the set of equations
(C)  1 (D) 0
3x + ky – 2z = 0, x + ky + 3z = 0 and
2x + 3y – 4z = 0 has a non – trivial solution is-
0 a b a c
(A) 15 (B) 16 (C) 31/2 (D) 33/2
ba 0 bc
Q.37 The value of is -
ca cb 0
(A) 0
(B) abc
(C) (a – b)(b – c)(c – a)
(D) None of these
 LEVEL # 2
p 15 8
a2  b2 2
c c Q.6 If Dp = p 35 9 , then
c
b c 2 2 p3 25 10
Q.1 a a is equal to –
a
D1 + D2 + D3 + D4 + D5 is equal to –
c2  a2
b b (A) 0 (B) 25
b
(C) 625 (D) None of these
(A) abc (B) 2abc (C) 4abc (D) 0
Q.7 If the determinant
3 3 2
2 3 3.2  3.2  1 bc ca a b
Q.2 33 43 3.3 2  3.3  1 is equal to- b  c c   a a  b is expressible
43 53 3.4 2  3.4  1 b   c  c   a  a   b 
a b c
(A) 0 (B) 1 as m a b c , then the value of m is-
(C) 92 (D) None of these a  b  c 

(A) – 1 (B) 0 (C) 1 (D) 2

a b b c c  a a b c
Q.3 If b  c c  a a  b =  b c a then 
ca ab bc c a b Q.8 In a third order determinant each element of
the first column consists of sum of two terms,
is equal to- each element of the second column consists
of sum of three terms and each element of
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 third column consists of sum of four terms,
then it can be decomposed into n
a b c y b q determinants, where n has the value –
Q.4 If  = x y z and 2 = x a p then (A) 1 (B) 9 (C) 16 (D) 24
p q r z c r
1 is equal to – Q.9 For any ABC, the value of determinant
(A) 2 2 (B)  2
sin 2 A cot A 1
(C) –  2 (D) None of these
sin 2 B cot B 1 is –
2
sin C cot C 1
ax by cz
2
y2 z2 (A) 0
Q.5 The determinant x is equal to –
1 1 1 (B) 1
(C) sin A sin B sin C
1 1 1 a b c (D) sin A + sin B + sin C
a b c x y z
(A) (B) 2r x n(n  1) r 1
2 2 2
x y z yz zx xy
Q.10 If Sr = 6r 2  1 y n2 (2n  3) then S n
r
3
1 1 1 4r  2nr z n 3 (n  1)
x y z does not depends on
(C) (D) None of these
2 2 2
a b c (A) x (B) y
(C) n (D) all of these
Q.11 If a, b, c are non-zero real numbers, then Q.16 If [a] denotes the greatest integer less than
or equal to a and – 1  x < 0, 0  y < 1,
b2 c 2 bc b  c 1  z < 2, then
2 2 is equal to
c a ca c  a [ x]  1 [ y] [ z]
2 2
a b ab a  b [ x] [ y]  1 [ z] is equal to –
(A) abc (B) a2b2c2 [ x] [ y] [ z]  1
(C) ab + bc + ca (D) None of these
(A) [x] (B) [y]
(C) [z] (D) None of these
x p q
p x q
Q.12 is equal to -
p q x Q.17 The v alue of the determinant
5 5
(A) (x + p) (x + q) (x – p – q) C0 C3 14
5 5
(B) (x – p) (x – q) (x + p + q) C1 C4 1 is –
5 5
(C) (x – p) (x – q) (x – p – q) C2 C5 1
(D) (x + p) (x + q) (x + p + q)
(A) 0 (B) –(6 !)
(C) 80 (D) None of these
Q.13 If x is a positive integers then the value of

x! ( x  1)! ( x  2)! a b c
determinant ( x  1)! ( x  2)! ( x  3)! is - Q.18 If  = b c a , then 2 is equal to –
( x  2)! ( x  3)! ( x  4)! c a b

(A) (2x) !. (x + 1) !. (x + 2) !. (x + 3) ! bc  a2 ca  b2 ab  c 2
2 2
(B) 2 (x) !. (x + 1) !. (x + 2) ! (A) ca  b ab  c bc  a 2
(C) (2x) !. (x + 3) ! ab  c 2 bc  a 2 ca  b 2
(D) None of these
bc  a2 ca  b2 ab  c 2
Q.14 The determinant (B) ca  b 2 ab  c 2 bc  a2
ab  c 2 bc  a 2 ca  b 2
cos(  )  sin(  ) cos 2
sin  cos  sin  is – a 2  bc b2  ca c 2  ab
 cos  sin  cos  (C) b 2  ca c 2  ab a2  bc
c 2  ab a 2  bc b 2  ca
(A) 0
(B) independent of  (D) None of these
(C) independent of 
(D) independent of both and  Q.19 If ax + by + cz = 1, bx + cy + az = 0 =
a b c x y z
cx + ay + bz, then z x y c a b is
13  3 2 5 5 y z x b c a
Q.15 equals – equal to -
15  26 5 10
(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) – 1 (D) 2
65  3 15 5

(A) 0 (B) 5 3 ( 6 – 5)

(C) 5 3 (5 – 6) (D) None of these

 LEVEL # 3
xn x n 2 x n 3 Q.6 The values  and  for which the system of
yn y n 2 y n 3 equations x + y + z = 6, x + 2y + 3z = 10
Q.1 If n and x + 2y + z =  have unique solution
z z n 2 z n 3
are-
 1 1 1 (A)   3,   R (B)   3,   10
= (x–y) (y–z) (z–x)  x  y  z  , then n is
  (C)   3,   10 (D)   3,   10
equals to-
(A) 1 (B) –1 (C) 2 (D) –2
Q.7 The system of linear equations x + y + z = 2,
Q.2 If    are the roots of x3 + ax2 + b = 0,
2x + y – z = 3, 3x + 2y + kz = 4 has a
  
unique solution if-
then the value of    is equals to-
   (A) k   (B) –1 < k > 1
(A) – a3 (B) a3
–3b (C) –2 < k < 2 (D) k = 0
(C) a3 2
(D) a – 3b

Q.3 If A, B and C are the angles of a triangle

x2  x x 1 x  2
and 2
2x  3x  1 3x 3x  3
Q.8 If = Ax – 12 ,
1 1 1 x 2  2x  3 2x  1 2x  1
1  sin A 1  sin B 1  sin C 0,
sin A  sin 2 A sin B  sin2 B sin C  sin 2 C
then the value of A is-
then the triangle ABC is-
(A) 12 (B) 24 (C) –12 (D) –24
(A) isosceles
(B) equilateral 441 442 443
(C) right angled isosceles Q.9 The value of 445 446 447 is-
449 450 451
(D) none of these

Q.4 The value of the determinant (A) 441 × 446 × 451 (B) 0

cos   sin  1 (C) –1 (D) 1

sin  cos  1 is-
cos(    )  sin(   ) 1
(A) independent of  x  3 2x 2  18 3 x 3  81
(B) independent of  x  5 2x 2  50 4x 3  500
Q.10 If f(x) = 1 2 3 then
(C) independent of  and 
(D) none of these
f(1).f(3) + f(3).f(5) + f(5).f(1) is equal to-
a 2r 216  1 (A) f(1) (B) f(3)
Q.5 Let Dr  b 3(4 r ) 2(416  1) ,then the value of (C) f(1) + f(3) (D) f(1) + f(5)
c 7(8 r ) 4(816  1)
Q.11 If the system of equations,
16
Σ Dr is equals to- x + 2y – 3z =1, (k + 3)z = 3, (2k + 1) x + z = 0
k 1
(A) 0 (B) a + b + c is inconsistent, then the value of k is-
(C) ab + bc + ca (D) none of these (A) –3 (B) 1/2 (C) 0 (D) 2
 1 a b 1 1 1
Q.12 In a ABC, if 1 c a  0 then cos(nx ) cos(n  1)x cos(n  2)x
1 b c Q.14 is not
sin(nx ) sin(n  1)x sin(n  2)x
sin A + sin B + sin2 C is equal to-
2 2

dependent-
9 4 (A) On x (B) On n
(A) (B) (C) 1 (D) 3 3
4 9
(C) Both on x and n (D) None of these
Q.13 The equation
x + 2y + 3z = 1, 2x + y + 3z = 2, 5x + 5y + 9z = 4
have-
(A) Unique solution
(B) Infinitely many solutions
(C) Inconsistent
(D) None of these
 LEVEL # 4
(Questions asked in Previous AIEEE & IIT-JEE)
SECTION - A 1 1 1
Q.1 If pth, qth, rth term of a GP are , m, n then the value 1 1 x 1
Q.6 If D = for x  0, y  0 then D is-
1 1 1 y
log  p 1
of log m q 1 is equal to- (A) divisible by neither x nor y
(B) divisible by both x and y
log n r 1
(C) divisible by x but not y
(A) 0 (B) 1 (D) divisible by y but not x
(C)  + m + n (D) None of these Q.7 Let a, b, c be any real numbers. Suppose that
there are real numbers x, y, z not all zero such
2 3
a a 1 a that x = cy + bz, y = az + cx, and z = bx + ay.
Q.2 If b b 1  b 3 = 0 and vectors (1, a, a2), (1,
2
Then a2 + b2 + c2 + 2abc is equal to
c c 2 1 c3
(A) –
2 2
b, b ) and (1, c, c ) are non- coplanar, then the 1 (B) 0
product abc equals-
(C) 1 (D) 2
(A) 0
(B) 2 (C) – 1 (D) 1
Q.8 Let a, b, c be such that b(a+c) 0. If

Q.3 If a1, a2, a3,......, an,..... are in G.P., then the a a 1 a 1 a 1 b 1 c 1

value of the determinant  b b 1 b 1 + a 1 b 1 c  1 =0,
c c  1 c  1 ( 1) a (1) b ( 1)n c
n 2 n 1

log an log a n1 log an 2

log an 3 log an  4 log an 5 , is- then the value of n is :
log an 6 log a n7 log an 8 (A)
any even integer

(A) 0 (B) 1 (B) any odd integer

(C) 2 (D) – 2 (C) any integer
(D) zero
Q.4 The system equations x + y + z =  – 1, x +
y + z =  – 1, x + y + z =  – 1 has no
solution, if  is - (A) – SECTION - B
2 (B) either –2 or 1
(C) not – 2 (D) 1 2r 1 2.3r 1 4.5 r 1
Q.1 If Dr =    , then the value
Q.5 If a2 + b2 + c2 = – 2 and f(x) = n n n
2 1 3 1 5 1
2 2 2 n
1 a x (1  b )x (1  c )x
2 of  Dr is-
(1  a )x 1  b2 x
(1  c 2 )x then f(x) is a r 1

(1  a 2 )x (1  b 2 )x 1  c 2 x terminant
2
1 a a
polynomial of degree - (A) 1
(B) 0 (C) 3 (D) 2 cos(p  d)x cos px cos(p  d)x
does not
sin(p  d)x sin px sin(p  d)x
 depend upon is - (A) 3 (B) 3 (– 1)
(A) a (B) p (C) 32 (D) 3 (1– )
(C) d (D) x Q.13 If x + ay = 0 ; y + az = 0 ; z + ax = 0, then
value of ‘a’ for which system of equations will
6i  3i 1 have infinite number of solutions is
Q.7 If 4 3i  1 = x + iy, then -
20 3 i (A) a =1
(B) a = 0
(A) x = 3, y = 1 (B) x = 1, y = 3
(C) a = –1
(C) x = 0, y = 3 (D) x = 0, y = 0
(D) no value of a
Q.8 If
Q.14 If the system of equations 2x – y – 2z = 2
1 x x 1
; x – 2y + z = – 4 ; x + y + z = 4 has no
f(x) = 2x x( x  1) ( x  1)x
solutions the  is equal to
3x( x  1) x( x  1)( x  2) ( x  1) x ( x  1)
then f(100) is equal to - (A) –2

(A) 0 (B) 1 (C) 100 (D) –100 (B) 3

(C) 0
Q.9 If the system of equations x – Ky – z = 0, Kx
(D) –3
– y – z = 0, x + y – z = 0 has a non- zero
solution, then the possible values of K are-
Q.15 Consider the system of equations
(A) – 1, 2 (B) 1, 2 x – 2y + 3z = –1
(C) 0 ,1 (D) – 1, 1 –x + y – 2z = k
x – 3y + 4z = 1
Q.10 The number of distinct real roots of STATEMENT-1 : The system of equations has
sin x cos x cos x no solution for k  3
cos x sin x cos x = 0 in the interval STAT EMENT-2 : The determinant
cos x cos x sin x
1 3 1
 
– < x < is 1  2 k
4 4  0, for k  3
1 4 1
(A) 0 (B) 2 (C) 1 (D) 3
(A) Statement–1 is True, Statement–2 is
Q.11 The number of values of K for which the True; Statement–2 is a correct
system of equations, (K + 1) x + 8y = 4K explanation for Statement–1.
and Kx + (K + 3) y = 3K – 1 has infinitely (B) Statement–1 is True, Statement–2 is True;
many solutions, is (A) 0 Statement–2 is not a correct explanation
(B) 1 (C) 2 for Statement–1
(D) Infinite (C) Statement–1 is True, Statement–2 is
False
1 3
Q.12 Let  = – +i . Then the value of the (D) Statement–1 is False, Statement–2 is True
2 2

1 1 1
2
determinant  = 1  1   2 is
1 2 4
 ANSWER KEY
LEVEL # 1
Q.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Ans. D B C C C A B B D C A B C B A D A C C D C
Q.No. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
Ans. C C A A C A B C A D C C A B D A A B A D

LEVEL # 2
Q.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Ans. C A B B B D B D A D D B B B B C D A B

LEVEL # 3
Q.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Ans. B C A A A A A B B B A A A B

LEVEL # 4
Section-A
Q.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Ans. A C A A D B C C

Section-B
Q.No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans. A B C A D B D A D C B B C D A