TP 8: Determinants

Course: Linear Algebra

Due Date: Oct 11 at 8h

Reading
This homework covers Lesson 11 on 27 Sep, as well as Chapters 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 Review those chapters for
help on this assignment.

Directions
Complete the following problems. You must show your work! This means your submission must show
all the steps you made to find the answer, not just the final answer.

1. Finding Determinants
A. Compute the determinant by a cofactor expansion across the first row.

B. Compute the determinant by a cofactor expansion down the second column

C. Compute the determinant using cofactor expansion (choose the most suitable rows or
columns)
D. Compute the determinant using any method you choose.

E. Compute the determinant using any method you choose.

2. Geometric Interpretation of Determinants

Consider the 2D unit vectors

Imagine a parallelogram formed by the four points

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A. Graph the 4 points, and then draw the parallelogram (in this case a square) that connects
them.

B. Imagine a linear transformation that T that transforms the unit vectors as follows

Write the 2x2 matrix A that represents this linear transformation

C. Calculate the determinant of your matrix from part B

D. Graph the 4 points from part A after being transformed by T, then draw the parallelogram
that connects them

E. Calculate the area of the parallelogram from part D. Compare it to the determinant and
write down what you notice.