Notes

Class 12 Mathematics | Determinants | Notes
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Determinants
Notes
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Determinant
The determinant of a matrix is a special number that can be calculated from a
square matrix. The determinant of a matrix A is denoted det(A), det A, or |A|.
The determinant tells us things about the matrix that is useful in systems of
linear equations, helps us find the inverse of a matrix, and is useful in calculus,
Computer Science, Chemistry, Geoemetry and more.
Properties of Determinants
• The determinant is a real number, it is not a matrix.
• The determinant can be a negative number.
• It is not associated with absolute value at all except that they both use
vertical lines.
• The determinant only exists for square matrices (2×2, 3×3, ... n×n). The
determinant of a 1×1 matrix is that single value in the determinant.
• The inverse of a matrix will exist only if the determinant is not zero.
• For matrix A, |A| is read as determinant of A and not modulus of A.
• Only square matrices have determinants
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Determinant of a matrix of order one

Let A = [a] be the matrix of order 1, then determinant of A is defined to be
equal to a
Determinant of a matrix of order two
Determinant of a matrix of order Three
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Determinant of a matrix of order three can be determined by expressing it in

terms of second order determinants. This is known as expansion of a
determinant along a row or a column. There are 6 ways of expanding a
determinant of order 3 corresponding to each of 3 rows (R1, R2 and R3) and 3
columns (C1, C2 and C3).
• Expansion along first Row (R1)
• Expansion along second Row (R2)
• Expansion along third Row (R3)
• Expansion along first Column (C1)
• Expansion along second Column (C2)
• Expansion along third Column (C3)
Refer Learnohub video lessons for more details.
More Properties of Determinant

• The value of determinant remains unchanged if its rows and columns are
interchanged.
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• If any two rows (or columns) of a determinant are interchanged, then sign
of determinant changes
• If any two rows (or columns) of a determinant are identical (all
corresponding elements are same), then value of determinant is zero.
• If each element of a row (or a column) of a determinant is multiplied by a
constant k, then its value gets multiplied by k.
• If some or all elements of a row or column of a determinant are expressed
as sum of two (or more) terms, then the determinant can be expressed as
sum of two (or more) determinants
• If, to each element of any row or column of a determinant, the equi
multiples of corresponding elements of other row (or column) are added,
then value of determinant remains the same, i.e., the value of determinant
remain same if we apply the operation Ri → Ri + kRj or Ci → Ci + k Cj .
Property 1 (Transpose)
The value of determinant remains unchanged if its rows and columns are
interchanged.
Property 2
If any two rows (or columns) of a determinant are interchanged, then sign of
determinant changes.
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Property 3
If any two rows (or columns) of a determinant are identical (all corresponding
elements are same), then value of determinant is zero
Property 4
If each element of a row (or a column) of a determinant is multiplied by a
constant k, then its value gets multiplied by k.
Property 5
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If some or all elements of a row or column of a determinant are expressed as

sum of two (or more) terms, then the determinant can be expressed as sum of
two (or more) determinants.
Property 6
If, to each element of any row or column of a determinant, the equimultiples
of corresponding elements of other row (or column) are added, then value of
determinant remains the same, i.e., the value of determinant remain same if
we apply the operation Ri → Ri + kRj or Ci → Ci + k Cj .
• If Δ1 is the determinant obtained by applying Ri → kRi or Ci → kCi to the

determinant Δ, then Δ1 = kΔ.
• If more than one operation like Ri→ Ri + kRj is done in one step, care
should be taken to see that a row that is affected in one operation
should not be used in another operation. A similar remark applies to
column operations.
Numerical: Solve without expanding
Solution:
Observe that
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65 = 9 x 7 + 2
75 = 9 x 8 + 3
86 = 9 x 9 + 5
Area of triangle
Numerical:
Find area of triangle with vertices (1, 0), (6, 0), (4, 3)
Solution:
Area = ½ (1 (0x1 – 3 x 1) + 0 + 1 (6 x 3 - 4 x 0))

Or Area = 15/2
Minors
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Minor of an element aij of a determinant is the determinant obtained by

deleting its ith row and jth column in which element aij lies. Minor of an element
aij is denoted by Mij.
Minor of an element o
f a determinant of order n(n ≥ 2) is a determinant of order n – 1.
Cofactors (Minors with Signs)

Cofactor of an element aij , denoted by Aij is defined by Aij = (–1)i+j Mij , where
Mij is minor of aij.
Determinant = a11 A11 + a12 A12 + a13 A13
If elements of a row (or column) are multiplied with cofactors of any other row
(or column), then their sum is zero
• a11 A21 + a12 A22 + a13 A23 = 0
• a11 A31 + a12 A32 + a13 A33 = 0
Adjoint of a Matrix (Cofactor -> Transpose)
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Numerical:
Find adjoint of Matrix
Solution:
A11 = 4
A12 = -3
A21= -2
A22 = 2
Theorem
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• Singular Matrix
• A square matrix A is said to be singular if |A| = 0.
Non Singular Matrix

• A square matrix A is said to be non-singular if |A| ≠ 0
• Theorem: If A and B are nonsingular matrices of the same order, then AB

and BA are also nonsingular matrices of the same order
• Theorem: If A and B are non-Zero Matrices of the same order, then AB and
BA can be Zero Matrix
• Theorem: The determinant of the product of matrices is equal to product of
their respective determinants, that is, |AB| = |A| * |B| , where A & B are
square matrices of same order
• Theorem: A square matrix A is invertible if and only if A is nonsingular

matrix
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Applications of Determinants and Matrices

• Solving the system of linear equations
• Checking the consistency of the system of linear equations.
Case1 : A is a nonsingular
AX = B or X = A–1 B
Case 2 : A is a singular matrix
If A is a singular matrix, then |A| = 0. AX = B or X = A–1 B or X = (1/ |A|) * (adj
A) *B
In this case, we calculate (adj A) B.
• If (adj A) B ≠ O, then solution does not exist and the system of equations is
called inconsistent.
• If (adj A) B = O, then system may be either consistent or inconsistent
according as the system have either infinitely many solutions or no solution
Numerical:
Examine Consistency x + 2y = 2 & 2x + 3y = 3
Solution:
|A| = -1 ≠ 0, so A-1 exist. Thus it is consistent.
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Class 12 Mathematics | Determinants | Notes

Determinant of a matrix of order one

Determinant of a matrix of order two

Determinant of a matrix of order Three

Determinant of a matrix of order three can be determined by expressing it in

Refer Learnohub video lessons for more details.

More Properties of Determinant

If some or all elements of a row or column of a determinant are expressed as

• If Δ1 is the determinant obtained by applying Ri → kRi or Ci → kCi to the

Numerical: Solve without expanding

Area = ½ (1 (0x1 – 3 x 1) + 0 + 1 (6 x 3 - 4 x 0))

Minor of an element aij of a determinant is the determinant obtained by

Cofactors (Minors with Signs)

Adjoint of a Matrix (Cofactor -> Transpose)

Non Singular Matrix

• Theorem: If A and B are nonsingular matrices of the same order, then AB

• Theorem: A square matrix A is invertible if and only if A is nonsingular

Applications of Determinants and Matrices

|A| = -1 ≠ 0, so A-1 exist. Thus it is consistent.

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