Determinants

Hoang Hai Ha

HCMUT-OISP
Email: hoanghaiha@hcmut.edu.vn

September 26, 2023

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 1 / 22

Outline

1 Real-world Problems

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 2 / 22

Outline

1 Real-world Problems

2 Determinants

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 2 / 22

Evaluating the area of the triangle

¯ ¯
¯ 2, 5 1 1 ¯
1 −→ −→ 1 ¯ ¯ 5
S = abs|[ AB , AC ]| = abs ¯¯ 3 2 1 ¯¯ =
2 2 ¯ 1 3 1 ¯ 4

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 3 / 22

Evaluating the volume of the parallelepiped

→
−a = (a 1 , a 2 , a 3 );
→
− →
−
b = (b 1 , b 2 , b 3 ); c = (c 1 , c 2 , c 3 )
¯ ¯
¯ a1 a2 a3 ¯
→
− −
⇒ V = abs([→
−
a × b ], →
¯ ¯
c ) = abs ¯¯ b 1 b 2 b 3 ¯¯
¯ c1 c2 c3 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 4 / 22

Definition 2.1
If A = (a i j ) is a square matrix, then the determinant of A is a number.
We denote it by d et (A) or |A|.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 5 / 22

Definition 2.1
If A = (a i j ) is a square matrix, then the determinant of A is a number.
We denote it by d et (A) or |A|.

Determinant of matrix order 2 × 2

µ ¶
a 11 a 12
Let A = , then |A| = d et (A) = a 11 a 22 − a 12 a 21 .
a 21 a 22

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 5 / 22

Definition 2.2
If A = (a i j )n×n is a square matrix, then the minor of entry a i j is
denoted by M i j and is defined to be the determinant of the submatrix
of order (n − 1) that remains after the i −th row and j −column are
deleted from A.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 6 / 22

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a1 j a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1) j a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
¯ ¯
|A| = ¯¯ a i 1 ... a i ( j −1) ai j a i ( j +1) ... ai n ¯
¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1) j a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯ ¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a . . . a n)( j −1) an j a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
n1 n×n

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 7 / 22

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a1 j a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1) j a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
¯ ¯
|A| = ¯¯ a i 1 ... a i ( j −1) ai j a i ( j +1) ... ai n ¯
¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1) j a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯ ¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a . . . a n)( j −1) an j a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
n1 n×n
 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a1 j a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. .. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1) j a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
¯ ¯
|A| = ¯¯ a i 1 ... a i ( j −1) ai j a i ( j +1) ... ai n ¯
¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1) j a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯ ¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a . . . a n)( j −1) an j a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
n1 n×n

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 7 / 22

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
.. ..
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
Mi j = ¯¯ ¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a n1 ... a n( j −1) a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
(n−1)×(n−1)

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 8 / 22

 ¯ ¯
¯ a 11 ... a 1( j −1) a 1( j +1) ... a 1n ¯
.. .. .. ..
¯ ¯
.. ..
. .
¯ ¯
¯
¯ . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a (i −1)1 . . . a (i −1)( j −1) a (i −1)( j +1) . . . a (i −1)n ¯
Mi j = ¯¯ ¯
¯ a (i +1)1 . . . a (i +1)( j −1) a (i +1)( j +1) . . . a (i +1)n ¯
¯
¯ .. .. .. .. .. .. ¯
¯
¯ . . . . . . ¯
¯
¯ a n1 ... a n( j −1) a n( j +1) ... a nn ¯
(n−1)×(n−1)

Definition 2.3
If A = (a i j )n×n is a square matrix, then the number C i j = (−1)i + j M i j
is called the cofactor of entry a i j .

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 8 / 22

Definition 2.4
Determinant of a square matrix can be computed by a cofactor
expansion along any row or column. That is,
n
X
d et (A) = a i j C i j = a i 1C i 1 + a i 2C i 2 + . . . + a i n C i n
j =1

or
n
X
d et (A) = ai j C i j = a1 j C 1 j + a2 j C 2 j + . . . + an j C n j .
i =1

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 9 / 22

Example 2.1
 
1 2 3
Find the determinant of A =  4 2 1  .
3 1 5

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 10 / 22

Example 2.1
 
1 2 3
Find the determinant of A =  4 2 1  .
3 1 5

Example 2.2
 
1 2 3
Evaluate d et A where A =  0 2 0 
3 1 5

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 10 / 22

Elementary row(or column) operation affects on
determinant

r i ↔r j (c i ↔c j )
1 If A −−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = −d et A .

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 11 / 22

Elementary row(or column) operation affects on
determinant

r i ↔r j (c i ↔c j )
1 If A −−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = −d et A .
r i →λr i (c i →λc i )
2 If A −−−−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = λd et A where λ ̸= 0.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 11 / 22

Elementary row(or column) operation affects on
determinant

r i ↔r j (c i ↔c j )
1 If A −−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = −d et A .
r i →λr i (c i →λc i )
2 If A −−−−−−−−−−−→ B then d et B = λd et A where λ ̸= 0.
r i →r i +λ.r j (c i →c i +λc j )
3 If A −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−→ B then
d et B = d et A, ∀λ ∈ K

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 11 / 22

Determinant of a triangular matrix

Example 2.3
Find determinant of the following matrix:
 
a 11 a 12 a 13 a 14
 0 a 22 a 23 a 24 
A= 
 0 0 a 33 a 34 
0 0 0 a 44
.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 12 / 22

Determinant of a triangular matrix

Example 2.3
Find determinant of the following matrix:
 
a 11 a 12 a 13 a 14
 0 a 22 a 23 a 24 
A= 
 0 0 a 33 a 34 
0 0 0 a 44
.

Determinant of a triangular matrix is equal to the product of all

entries on the main diagonal.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 12 / 22

Steps for evaluating determinant

Select one element (1 or −1 is the best choice), using elementary

row operation to elimate all the entries in the same column of
the selected one.
Using cofactor expansion along the above column.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 13 / 22

Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 14 / 22

Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
¯ 3 −5 2 ¯ ======
¯ ¯ r 2 →r 2 −r 1
¯ 5 4 3 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 14 / 22

Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯ ¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ 3 −5 2 ¯ ====== ¯ 1 −8 6 ¯ r======
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ 1 →r 1 −2r 2
¯ ¯ r 2 →r 2 −r 1 ¯ ¯ r →r −5r
¯ 5 4 3 ¯ ¯ 5 4 3 ¯ 3 3 2

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 14 / 22

Example 2.4
¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ ¯
Evaluate the determinant ¯¯ 3 −5 2 ¯¯ .
¯ 5 4 3 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 2 3 −4 ¯ ¯ 2 3 −4 ¯
¯ 3 −5 2 ¯ ====== ¯ 1 −8 6 ¯ r======
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ 1 →r 1 −2r 2
¯ ¯ r 2 →r 2 −r 1 ¯ ¯ r →r −5r
¯ 5 4 3 ¯ ¯ 5 4 3 ¯ 3 3 2
¯ ¯
¯ 0 19 −16 ¯
¯ ¯ Cofactor expansion along the first column
¯ 1 −8 6 ¯ ======
¯ ¯
¯ 0 44 −27 ¯
¯ ¯
2+1
¯ 19 −16 ¯
= 1.(−1) . ¯¯ ¯ = −191.
44 −27 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 14 / 22

Determinant of a Matrix Product

Theorem 2.1
If A, B are square matrices of the same size, then

d et (AB ) = d et (A).d et (B ) (1)

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 15 / 22

Example 2.5
     
1 2 3 7 8 9 12 8 30
A =  4 −2 6  , B =  4 −3 6  AB =  14 50 42 
2 8 9 −1 2 3 37 10 93
Verify that

d et (A).d et (B ) = (−6).(−246) = d et (AB ) = 1476

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 16 / 22

Corollary 2.1
If A, B are square matrices of the same size n
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 17 / 22

Corollary 2.1
If A, B are square matrices of the same size n
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .
2 d et (αA) = αn .d et A.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 17 / 22

Corollary 2.1
If A, B are square matrices of the same size n
1 d et (A k ) = (d et A)k .
2 d et (αA) = αn .d et A.
1
3 d et (A −1 ) = .
d et (A)
4 d et (A T ) = d et (A).

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 17 / 22

Example 2.6
   
1 2 1 1 1 1
Evaluate d et (X ) if X satisfies  0 1 4  X =  1 2 −1 
0 0 1 3 5 2

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 18 / 22

Example 2.6
   
1 2 1 1 1 1
Evaluate d et (X ) if X satisfies  0 1 4  X =  1 2 −1 
0 0 1 3 5 2
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 1 2 1 ¯ ¯ 1 1 1 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
We have ¯¯ 0 1 4 ¯¯ .d et (X ) = ¯¯ 1 2 −1 ¯¯
¯ 0 0 1 ¯ ¯ 3 5 2 ¯

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 18 / 22

Example 2.6
   
1 2 1 1 1 1
Evaluate d et (X ) if X satisfies  0 1 4  X =  1 2 −1 
0 0 1 3 5 2
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
¯ 1 2 1 ¯ ¯ 1 1 1 ¯
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯
We have ¯¯ 0 1 4 ¯¯ .d et (X ) = ¯¯ 1 2 −1 ¯¯
¯ 0 0 1 ¯ ¯ 3 5 2 ¯

⇒ 1.d et (X ) = 3 ⇒ d et (X ) = 3.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 18 / 22

Example 2.7
 
−1 0 0
If A =  2 1 0  , then evaluate d et (A 2011 ).
4 3 1

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 19 / 22

Example 2.7
 
−1 0 0
If A =  2 1 0  , then evaluate d et (A 2011 ).
4 3 1

We have
d et (A 2011 ) = (d et A)2011 = (−1)2011 = −1.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 19 / 22

Example 2.8
   
3 −2 6 0 0 −1
If A =  0 1 4  , B =  0 2 5  , then evaluate d et (2AB ).
0 0 1 1 −2 7

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 20 / 22

Example 2.8
   
3 −2 6 0 0 −1
If A =  0 1 4  , B =  0 2 5  , then evaluate d et (2AB ).
0 0 1 1 −2 7

We have
d et (2AB ) = 23 .d et A.d et B = 8 × 3 × 2 = 48.

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 20 / 22

Example 2.9
   
0 −8 3 −5 2 −4
Let A = 1 −5 9 and B =  6 −2 3 . Compute |3A 15 B −1 |.
2 3 8 7 5 4

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 21 / 22

 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Hoang Hai Ha (HCMUT) Determinants September 26, 2023 22 / 22