LESSON 1: DETERMINANT, MINOR AND COFACTOR OF A MATRIX

MELC 1: Find the determinant of a matrix.

MELC 2: Find the minor of a matrix.

MELC 3: Find the cofactor of a matrix.

MELC 4: Solve for the determinant of a matrix using cofactor expansion.

DETERMINANT OF MATRICES

Every square matrix 𝐴 has an associated number called its determinant, denoted
by det(𝐴) or |𝐴|.

Determinant of a 1x1 matrix

Let 𝐴 = [𝑎] be the matrix of order 1, then the determinant of 𝐴 is defined to be

equal to 𝑎.

Determinant of a 2x2 matrix

𝑎 𝑏
Let 𝐴 = [ ], then the determinant of 𝐴 is given by |𝐴| = 𝑎𝑑 − 𝑏𝑐.
𝑐 𝑑

Determinant of a 3x3 matrix

If 𝐴 is 3x3, then, to find det(𝐴) or |𝐴|:

1. Rewrite the 1st and 2nd columns on the right (as “Columns 4 and 5”).
2. Add the products along the three full diagonals that extend from upper left to
lower right.
3. Subtract the products along the three full diagonals that extend from lower left
to upper right.

𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
Let 𝐴 = [𝑑 𝑒 𝑓 ], then
𝑔 ℎ 𝑖
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 𝑎 𝑏
det(𝐴) = |𝑑 𝑒 𝑓| 𝑑 𝑒
𝑔 ℎ 𝑖 𝑔 ℎ

= 𝑎𝑒𝑖 + 𝑏𝑓𝑔 + 𝑐𝑑ℎ − 𝑔𝑒𝑐 − ℎ𝑓𝑎 − 𝑖𝑑𝑏

MINOR OF A MATRIX

In a square matrix, each element possesses its own minor. The minor is defined as
a value obtained from the determinant of a square matrix by deleting out a row and a
column corresponding to the element of a matrix.
 The notation 𝑀𝑖𝑗 is used to stand for the minor of the element in row 𝑖 and column
𝑗. So 𝑀21 would mean the minor for the element in row 2, column 1. The minor is the
determinant that remains when you delete the row and column of the element you’re
trying to find the minor for. That means you should delete row 2 and column 1and then
find the determinant.

Minor of 2x2 Matrix

For a 2x2 matrix, calculation of minors is very simple. Let us consider a 2x2 matrix
𝑎 𝑏
𝐴= [ ].
𝑐 𝑑
− −
𝑀11 = [− 𝑑 ] = 𝑑
− −
𝑀12 = [ 𝑐 −] = 𝑐

− 𝑏
𝑀21 = [ ]=𝑏
− −
𝑎 −
𝑀22 = [ ]=𝑎
− −

Minor of 3x3 Matrix

𝑎 𝑏 𝑐
Consider the 3x3 matrix 𝐴 = [𝑑 𝑒 𝑓]
𝑔 ℎ 𝑖
𝑒 𝑓 𝑑 𝑓 𝑑 𝑒
𝑀11 = | | = 𝑒𝑖 − ℎ𝑓 𝑀12 = | | = 𝑑𝑖 − 𝑔𝑓 𝑀13 = | | = 𝑑ℎ − 𝑔𝑒
ℎ 𝑖 𝑔 𝑖 𝑔 ℎ

𝑏 𝑐 𝑎 𝑐 𝑎 𝑏
𝑀21 = | | = 𝑏𝑖 − ℎ𝑐 𝑀22 = |𝑔 𝑖 | = 𝑎𝑖 − 𝑔𝑐 𝑀23 = | | = 𝑎ℎ − 𝑔𝑏
ℎ 𝑖 𝑔 ℎ
𝑏 𝑐 𝑎 𝑐 𝑎 𝑏
𝑀31 = | | = 𝑏𝑓 − 𝑒𝑐 𝑀32 = |𝑑 𝑓 | = 𝑎𝑓 − 𝑑𝑐 𝑀33 = | | = 𝑎𝑒 − 𝑑𝑏
𝑒 𝑓 𝑑 𝑒

COFACTOR OF A MATRIX

The cofactor, 𝐶𝑖𝑗 , of a matrix 𝐴 is defined by the relation

𝐶𝑖𝑗 = (−1)𝑖+𝑗 𝑀𝑖𝑗

You will notice that the cofactor and the minor always have the same numerical value,
with the possible exception of their sign.
2 1 4
Consider matrix 𝐴 = [5 2 3]
8 7 3
𝐶12 = (−1)1+2 𝑀12
5 3
𝐶12 = (−1) | | = (−1)(15 − 24) = (−1)(−9) = 9
8 3

𝐶22 = (−1)2+2 𝑀22

2 4
𝐶12 = (1) | | = (1)(6 − 32) = (1)(−26) = −26
8 3
COFACTOR EXPANSION – A METHOD TO CALCULATE THE DETERMINANT

Given a square matrix 𝐴 and its cofactors 𝐶𝑖𝑗 , the determinant is obtained by
cofactor expansion as follows:

• Choose a row or a column of 𝐴 (if possible, it is faster to choose the row or column
containing the most zeros).
• Multiply each of the elements 𝑎𝑖𝑗 of the row (or column) chosen by its
corresponding cofactor.
• Add these results.

Determinant for a 3x3 matrix

For a 3x3 matrix, this would mean that by choosing to make an expansion along
the first row, the determinant would be

det 𝐴 = 𝑎11 𝐶11 + 𝑎12 𝐶12 + 𝑎13 𝐶13

If we had chosen to carry out an expansion along the second column, we would have
to calculate

det 𝐴 = 𝑎12 𝐶12 + 𝑎22 𝐶22 + 𝑎32 𝐶32

While the choice of row or column may differ, the result of the determinant will be the
same.

Example:
2 1 3
Let 𝐴 = [−3 2 5]
−1 3 4

Using the previous method, we have

|𝐴| = (2)(2)(4) + (1)(5)(-1) + (3)(-3)(3) – (-1)(2)(3) - (3)(5)(2) - (4)(-3)(1)

|𝐴| = - 28

Using cofactor expansion along the third row, we have

|𝐴| = 𝑎31 𝐶31 + 𝑎32 𝐶32 + 𝑎33 𝐶33

|𝐴| = (-1)(-1) + (3)(-19)+(4)(7)

|𝐴| = - 28

Using cofactor expansion along the second column, we have

|𝐴| = 𝑎12 𝐶12 + 𝑎22 𝐶22 + 𝑎32 𝐶32

|𝐴| = (1)(7) + (2)(11)+(3)(-19)

|𝐴| = - 28