Assignment in Linear Algebra

Katrina E.Belleza and Kreanne L. Falcasantos

Submitted to: Dr. Jocelyn P. Vilela

Problem: Let x, λ ∈ F . Evaluate the determinant of

 
x+λ x ··· ··· ··· x
 x x+λ x ··· ··· x 
 
 
 x
 x x+λ x ··· x  
 ...
A= .. .. .. .. 
 . . . ··· . 
 . .. .. .. .. 
 . ..
 . . . . . . 


x x ··· ··· x x+λ

where A ∈ Mn (F ).

Solution:

Find B ∈ Mn (F ) such that B is obtained by adding a scalar multiple of one

row (column) of A to another so that det(A) = det(B).

Let Ri = (ri1 , ri2 , . . . , rin ) denote the ith row vector of A for i = 1, 2, . . . , n.
Perform row operations for each Ri by setting Ri = Ri − Rn for each i =
1, 2, . . . , n − 1. That is, Ri = (ri1 , ri2 , . . . , rin ) − (x, x, . . . , x + λ) = (ri1 − x, ri2 −
x, . . . , rin − (x + λ)) for each i = 1, 2, . . . , n − 1 Then A becomes

 
λ 0 0 ··· ··· −λ
0 λ 0 0 ··· −λ 
 
 
0 0 λ 0 ··· −λ 
0
 
 ...
A = .. .. .. 
 . . λ ··· . 
. .. .. .. .. 
. ..
. . . . . . 


x x ··· ··· x x+λ

1
Next, supppose Cj = (c1j , c2j , . . . , cnj ) denote the j th column vector of A0 for
j = 1, 2, . . . , n. Perform column operations for Cn with respect to Cj by setting
Cn = Cj + Cn for each j = 1, 2, . . . , n − 1. That is, Cn = (c1j , c2j , . . . , cnj ) +
(−λ, −λ, . . . , x+λ) = (c1j −λ, c2j −λ, . . . , cnj +(x+λ)) for each j = 1, 2, . . . , n−1.
Then A0 becomes

 
λ 0 0 ··· ··· 0
0 λ 0 0 ··· 0
 

 
0
 0 λ 0 ··· 0 

 ...
B= .. .. 
 . . λ ··· 0 

. .. .. .. ..
..

.
. . . . . .


x x ··· ··· x [(n − 1)x + (x + λ)]

or simplifying the entry bnn , we have

 
λ 0 0 ··· ··· 0
0 λ 0 0 ··· 0
 

 
0
 0 λ 0 ··· 0  
B=
 ... .. .. 
 . . λ ··· 0  
. .. .. .. .. 
. ..
. . . . . . 


x x ··· ··· x nx + λ

Note that B is a lower triangular matrix. Recall that the determinant of any
triangular matrix (lower or upper) is the product of the diagonal. Therefore,
we have
det(A) = det(B) = λn−1 (nx + λ).