MATRIXDETERMINANTS

Summary
Uses.................................................................................................................................................1
1 ReminderDefinitionandcomponentsofamatrix................................................................1
2 Thematrixdeterminant..........................................................................................................2
3 Calculationofthedeterminantfora

matrix.................................................................2

4 Exercise....................................................................................................................................3
5 Definitionofaminor...............................................................................................................3
6 Definitionofacofactor............................................................................................................4
7 Cofactorexpansionamethodtocalculatethedeterminant...............................................4
8 Calculatethedeterminantfora

matrix........................................................................5

9 Alternativemethodtocalculatedeterminants.......................................................................6
10 Exercise....................................................................................................................................7
11 Determinantsofsquarematricesofdimensions4x4andgreater.........................................8

Uses
Thedeterminantwillbeanessentialtooltoidentifythemaximumandminimumpoints
orthesaddlepointsofafunctionwithmultiplevariables.

1 Reminder Definition and components of a matrix

Amatrixisarectangulartableofform

A matrix is said to be of dimension

when it has rows and columns. This
method of describing the size of a matrix is necessary in order to avoid all confusion
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betweentwomatricescontainingthesameamountofentries.Forexample,amatrixof
dimension 3 4 has 3 rows and 4 columns. It would be distinct from a matrix 4 3,
that has 4 rows and 3 columns, even if it also has 12 entries. A matrix is said to be
squarewhenithasthesamenumberofrowsandcolumns.
Theelementsarematrixentries ,thatareidentifiedbytheirposition. Theelement
would be the entry located on the third row and the second column of matrix .
Thisnotationisessentialinordertodistinguishtheelementsofthematrix.Theelement
,distinctfrom ,issituatedonthesecondrowandthethirdcolumnofthematrix
.

2 The matrix determinant

Avaluecalledthedeterminantof ,thatwedenoteby
or | |,
corresponds to every square matrix . We will avoid the formal definition of the
determinant (that implies notions of permutations) for now and we will concentrate
insteadonitscalculation.

3 Calculation of the determinant for a

Letusconsiderthematrix ofdimension2

matrix

2 :

Thedeterminantofthematrix isdefinedbytherelation

det

The result is obtained by multiplying opposite elements and by calculating the

differencebetweenthesetwoproducts.arecipethatyouwillneedtoremember!

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Example
Giventhematrix
2
3

1
2

ThedeterminantofAis
2
3

det

1
2

4 Exercise
2matrices:

Calculatethedeterminantofthefollowing2
.
.
Solutions:

a)17

b)0

1
5

3
2
.
2
4

4
3

1
4
.
2
1

c)5

1
2
3
2

d)11

Beforebeingabletoevaluatethedeterminantofa3 3matrix(orallothermatricesof
agreaterdimension),youwillfirstneedtolearnafewconcepts

5 Definition of a minor
2
5
8

1
2
7

4
3
3

is the determinant of the matrix obtained by eliminating the first row

The minor
andthesecondcolumnof ,i.e.
5
8

3
3

5.3

3.8

15

24

Theminor
isthedeterminantofthematrixobtainedbyeliminatingthesecondrow
andthesecondcolumnof ,i.e.
2 4
8 3

2.3

4.8

32

26

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6 Definition of a cofactor
Thecofactor,

,ofamatrix isdefinedbytherelation
1

Youwillnoticethatthecofactorandtheminoralwayshavethesamenumericalvalue,
withthepossibleexceptionoftheirsign.
Letusagainconsiderthematrix
2
5
8

1
2
7

4
3
3
9. Thus the corresponding cofactor,

We have already shown that the minor

,is
1
Theminor
Theminor

andthecofactor

1.

areofdifferentsigns.

26.Itscorrespondingcofactor
C

1.

is
26

26

Thistime,theminorM andthecofactorC areidentical.

Evaluating the determinant of a 3 3 matrix is now possible. We will proceed by
reducingitinaseriesof2 2determinants,forwhichthecalculationismucheasier.
Thisprocessiscalledancofactorexpansion.

7 Cofactor expansion a method to calculate the determinant

Givenasquarematrix anditscofactors
expansionasfollows:

.Thedeterminantisobtainedbycofactor

Choosearoworacolumnof (ifpossible,itisfastertochoosetheroworcolumn
containingthemostzeros)
Multiply each of the elements
of the row (or column) chosen by its
correspondingcofactor,
Addtheseresults.

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8 Calculate the determinant for a

matrix

Fora 3 3matrix,thiswouldmeanthatbychoosingtomakeanexpansionalongthe
firstrow,thedeterminantwouldbe

Ifwehadchosentocarryoutanexpansionalongthesecondcolumn,wewouldhaveto
calculate

Whilethechoiceofroworcolumnmaydiffer,theresultofthedeterminantwillbethe
same,nomatterwhatthechoicewehavemade.Letusverifythiswithanexample.
Example
Whatisthedeterminantofmatrix ?
2 1
1 0
2 0

3
2
2

Solution
Letusfollowtheprocedureproposedabove(cofactorexpansion):

Choosearoworacolumnof Fornow,letuschoosethefirstrow.
Multiply each of the elements of this row by their corresponding cofactors The
2,
1, et
3thatwemultiplywiththe
elementsofthefirstroware
correspondingcofactors,i.e.C , C et C .Theseare
1

1
C

1
1

0
0

2
2

1 0.

1
2

2
2

1 1

1
2

0
0

2.0
2

1 1

2
2

0
2

6
0

Finally,weneedtocalculate

6
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Letusverifyifanexpansionalongthesecondcolumncoincideswiththepreviousresult.
Note that the choice of the second column is much more effective since the
determinantwillbeobtainedfromthecalculation

1,
Two of the three elements of the second column are zero. In effect,
0,

0. It is thus useless to calculate the cofactors
and
. The
correspondingcofactorfor is
C

1
2

2
2

1 1

Thedeterminantof isthus
det A

a C

a C

a C

6,

whichcorrespondstotheanswerobtainedbyanexpansionalongthefirstrow.

9 Alternative method to calculate determinants

Thissecondmethodisinallpointsequivalenttocofactorexpansionbutwillallowyouto
avoidtheuseofcofactors.

Allocateasign / toeachelementbyfollowingtherule:weassociateapositive
sign to the position
, then we alternate the signs by moving horizontally or
vertically.
Choosearoworcolumnof (ifpossible,itisfastertochoosetheroworcolumnof
containingthemostnumberofzeros)
Multiply each element of of the row (or column) chosen by its corresponding
minor, i.e. the remaining determinant when we eliminate the row and column in
which is.
Addorsubtracttheseresultsaccordingtothesignallocatedtotheelementsduring
thefirststep.

Letusverifythatthismethodwillproducethesameresultasinthepreviousexample:

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Example
Giventhematrix towhichweallocateasign / accordingtotherulestatedabove.
2
1
2

3
2
2

Letuschoosethethirdcolumn(itiscertainlynotthebestchoicesincethesecond
rowhasthemostzeros,but)
Wethenmultiplyeachelementbyitscorrespondingminor:
3
2
2

2
2

1
0
0

1
2

0
0

1
2

2
1

1
0

4
1

Finally, the respective signs of the elements of the third column tell us the
operationstocarryoutbetweenthesevaluestoobtainthedeterminant:
det

10 Exercise
Calculatethedeterminantofthefollowingmatrices:
1 3 2
4 1 3
2 2 0
3
2
1
Solutions:

a)24

2 4
4 5
8 2

b)12

c)66

1 0 2
1 3 4
0 6 0
8
3
11

1 9
1
8
0 17

d)0

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11 Determinants of square matrices of dimensions 4x4 and

greater
The methods presented for the case of 3 3 matrices remain valid for all greater
dimensions.Youmustagainfollowthestepsforcofactorexpansion:
Givenasquarematrix anditscofactors
cofactorexpansionasfollows:

,thedeterminantisobtainedbyfollowinga

Chosearoworcolumnof (ifpossible,itisfastertochoosetheroworcolumnthat
containsthemostzeros)
Multiply each of the elements of the row (or column) chosen, by the
correspondingcofactor
Addtheresults.

Wemusthowevermentionadistinction.Thecofactorassociatedtotheelement ofa
4 4matrixisthedeterminantofa3 3matrix,sinceitisobtainedbyeliminatingthe
ithrowandthejthcolumnof .
Example
CalculatethedeterminantofmatrixA
1
0
1
3

2
3
0
1

1
1
3
2

0
1
1
0

Itisessential,toreducetheamountofcalculations,tochoosetheroworcolumnthat
contains the most zeros (here, the fourth column). We will proceed to a cofactor
expansionalongthefourthcolumn,whichmeansthat

As and arezero,itisuselesstofind
benecessary
1

and

.Thecofactors

1
1 1
3

2 1
0 3
1 2

and

will

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1
1 0
3

1
Weletthereaderverifythat
is

18et

2
3
1

1
1
2

2.Consequently,thedeterminantof

18

16

Exercise
ShowthatthedeterminantofAinthepreviousexampleis16byacofactorexpansion
along
a) Thefirstrow
b) Thethirdcolumn

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