TEACHING MODULE

DETERMINANT
1. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT :
Development of determinants took place while mathematicians were trying to solve a
system of simultaneous linear equations.
a1x  b1y  c1  b 2c1  b1c 2 a1c 2  a 2c1
e.g.   x= and y =
a1b 2  a 2 b1 a1b 2  a 2 b1
a 2 x  b2 y  c2 

a1 b1
Mathematicians defined the symbol as determinant of order 2 and the four
a2 b2
numbers arranged in row and column were called its elements. Its value was taken as
a1b2 – a2b1 which the same as denominator.
This kind of definition helped then to state the solution of the simultaneous equation as
D1 D a b1 c b1 a c1
x= and y = 2 where D = 1 ; D1 = 1 ; D2 = 1
D D a2 b2 c2 b2 a2 c2
Note : A determinant of order 1 is the number itself.

a1 b1 c1
The symbol a 2 b2 c 2 is called the determinant of order 3. Its value can be found as
a3 b3 c3

b2 c2 a c2 a b2
D = a1 – b1 2 + c1 2 or
b3 c3 a3 c3 a3 b3

b2 c2 b c b c1
= a1 – a2 1 1 + a3 1
b3 c3 b 3 c3 b2 c2
In the way we can expand a determinant in 6 ways using elements of R1, R2, R3, C1, C2, C3.

2. Following examples of short hand writing large expressions are :

(i) The lines : a1x + b1y + c1 = 0........ (1)
a2x + b2y + c2 = 0........ (2)
a3x + b3y + c3 = 0........ (3)
a1 b1 c1
are concurrent if , a 2 b2 c 2 = 0.
a3 b3 c3
Condition for the consistency of three simultaneous linear equations in 2 variables.
(ii) ax2 + 2 hxy + by2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0 represents a pair of straight lines if
a h g
abc + 2fgh  af2  bg2  ch2 =0= h b f
g f c
(iii) Area of a triangle whose vertices are (xr , yr) ; r = 1 , 2 , 3 is :
x y1 1
1 1
D= x y2 1 If D = 0 then the three points are collinear..
2 x2 y3 1
3
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 x y 1
(iv) Equation of a straight line passsing through (x1, y1) & (x2, y2) is x1 y1 1 =0
x2 y2 1
(v) Variety of ways in which a straight line can be expressed in determinant form.

3. COFACTOR AND MINORS OF AN ELEMENT :

Minors : Minors of an element is defined as the minor determinant obtained by deleting
a particular row or column in which that element lies. e.g. in the determinant
a11 a12 a13
a 21 a 23
D = a 21 a 22 a 23 minor of a12 denoted as M12 = and so on
c31 c33
a 31 a 32 a 33

Cofactor : It has no separate identity and is related to the cofactor as

Ci j = (–1)i + j Mi j where ' i ' denotes the row and ' j ' denotes the column.
Hence the value of a determinant of order three in terms of 'Minor' and 'Cofactor' can
be written as
D = a11 M11 – a12 M12 + a13 M13 or
= a11 C11 + a12 C12 + a13 C13
Note that a determinant of order 3 will 9 minors each minor will be a determinant of
order 2 and a determinant of order 4 will have 16 minors each minor will be determinant
of order 3.

EXAMPLES :
Expand :
2 3 0 1 4 7
(i) 2 1 2 [Ans. 8] (ii) 2 5 8 [Ans. 3]
6 5 1 3 6 8

x 6 1
(iii) If 2 x  3 4 = 0, find x. [Ans. x = 0]
0 1 2

k3 1 2
(iv) If 3  2 1 = 0, find K. [Ans. K  R]
k 3 3

4. PROPERTIES OF DETERMINANTS :
P-1: The value of a determinant remains unaltered, if the rows & columns are
a1 b1 c1 a1 a 2 a3
inter changed. e.g. if D = a 2 b2 c 2  b1 b 2 b3 = D
a3 b3 c3 c1 c 2 c3
D & D' are transpose of each other. If D=  D then it is Skew symmetric determinant
but D'= D  2 D = 0  D = 0  Skew symmetric determinant of third order has the
value zero.

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Example : Without expanding prove that the value of the determinant
0 b c
D = b 0 a =0
c a 0
Note : The value of a skew symmetric determinant of odd order is zero.

P-2: If any two rows (or columns) of a determinant be interchanged, the value of determinant
is changed in sign only. e.g.
a1 b1 c1 a2 b2 c2
Let D = a 2 b2 c2 & D' = a1 b1 c1 Then D' = – D.
a3 b3 c3 a3 b3 c3
P-3: If a determinant has any two rows (or columns) identical , then its value is zero.
a1 b1 c1
e.g. Let D = a1 b1 c1 then it can be verified that D = 0.
a3 b3 c3
P-4: If all the elements of any row (or column) be multiplied by the same number, then the
determinant is multiplied by that number.
a1 b1 c1 Ka1 Kb1 Kc1
e.g. If D = a1 b1 c1 and D' = a 2 b2 c2 Then D'= KD
a3 b3 c3 a3 b3 c3
P-5: If each element of any row (or column) can be expressed as a sum of two terms then
the determinant can be expressed as the sum of two determinants. e.g.
a1  x b1  y c1  z a1 b1 c1 x y z
a2 b2 c2  a 2 b2 c2  a 2 b2 c2
a3 b3 c3 a3 b3 c3 a3 b3 c3
Examples :

n (n  1)
r x
2 n
Ex.1 Let Dr = 2r  1 y n2 then show that  r =0
n (3n  1) r 1
3r  2 z
2

n
2r  1 Cr 1
n
2 n
Ex.2 If Dr = n 1 2 n 1 then show that  0 =0
cos2 (n 2 ) cos2 n cos2 (n  1) r 1

P-6: The value of a determinant is not altered by adding to the elements of any row (or
column) the same multiples of the corresponding elements of any other row (or column).
a1 b1 c1 a1  ma 2 b1  mb 2 c1  mc 2
e.g. Let D = a 2 b2 c 2 and D' = a2 b2 c2 . Then D'=D.
a3 b3 c3 a 3  na1 b3  nb1 c3  nc1

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 Note : that while applying this property ATLEAST ONE ROW (OR COLUMN)
must remain unchanged.

P-7: If by putting x = a the value of a determinant vanishes then (x  a) is a factor of the

determinant.

Example :
Factorisation in respect the following determinants are very useful and should be
remembered.

x2 x 1
(i) y2 y 1 = (x – y)(y – z)(z – x)
z2 z 1

x3 x 1
(ii) y3 y 1 = (x – y)(y – z)(z – x)(x + y + z)
z3 z 1

x x2 yz
(iii) y y2 zx = (x – y)(y – z)(z – x)(xy + yz + zx)
z z2 xy

a b c
(iv) b c a = – (a3 + b3 + c3 – 3abc) < 0 if a, b, c are different and positive
c a b
Other Examples :

( b  c) 2 a2 bc
Ex.1 Factorise (c  a ) 2 b2 ca = (a2 + b2 + c2)(a + b + c)(a – b)(b – c)(c – a)
(a  b ) 2 c2 ab

23 66 11
Ex.2 Prove that 36 55 26 = 0
63 143 37

1 a 1 1  1 1 1
Ex.3 Show that 1 1  b 1 = abc 1    
1 1 1 c  a b c

p b c
p q r
Ex.4 If a  p ; b  q ; c  r and a q c = 0 then prove that   = 2.
a b r pa qb r c

Ex.5 Prove that the equation

a 2 ( b 2  c 2 )(1  x  y) ab( x  y) ca ( x  y)
2 2 2
ab( x  y) b  (c  a )(1  x  y) bc( x  y) =0
2 2 2
ca ( x  y) bc( x  y) c  (a  b )(1  x  y)

represent a straight line if a2 + b2 + c2 = 1. [Ans. x + y = 1]

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 ( b  c) 2 ba ca
Ex.6 Show that : ab (c  a ) 2 cb = 2abc(a + b+ c)3.
ac bc (a  b ) 2

Ex.7 Let the three digit numbers A28, 3B9 and 6C2 when A, B, C are integer between 0 and
9, be divisible by a fixed integer K, show that the determinant
A 3 6
8 9 C is also divisible by the same integer K.
2 B 2
Ex.8 Prove that :
ax  by  cz ay  bx ax  az
ay  bx by  cz  ax bz  cy = (a2 + b2 + c2)(x2 + y2 + z2)(ax + by + cz)
cx  az bc  cy cz  ax  ay

Ex.9 If A, B, C are the angles of a triangle ABC, prove that

sin 2 A cot A 1
2
D = sin B cot B 1 = 0
sin 2 C cot C 1

Ex.10 If (x1–x2)2 + (y1– y2)2 = a2 , (x2–x3)2 + (y2– y3)2 = b2 and (x3–x1)2 + (y3– y1)2 = c2
2
x1 y1 1
prove that 4 x 2 y 2 1 = (a + b + c) (b + c – a) (c + a – b) (a + b – c).
x3 y3 1
5. MULTIPLICATION OF TWO DETERMINANTS :
a1 b1 l1 m1 a1l1b1l2 a1m1b1m 2
(i)  
a2 b 2 l2 m 2 a 2l1b 2l2 a 2 m1b 2 m 2
Similarly two determinants of order three are multiplied.

a1 b1 c1 A1 B1 C1
(ii) If D = a 2 b 2 c 2  0 then, D2 = A 2 B2 C2 where A , B , C are cofactors
i i i
a 3 b3 c3 A3 B3 C3
[Proof : Explain

EXAMPLES :

2bc  a 2 c2 b2
Ex.1 Show that c2 2ac  b 2 a2 = (a3 + b3 + c3  3 abc)2.
b2 a2 2ab  c 2

a1l1  b1m1 a1l2  b1m 2 a1l3  b1m3

Ex.2 Show that a 2l1  b 2m1 a 2l2  b 2m 2 a 2l3  b 2 m3 = 0 .
a 3l1  b3m1 a 3l2  b3 m 2 a 3l3  b3m3

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Ex.3 Prove that :

(a1  b1 )2 (a1  b 2 )2 (a1  b3 ) 2

(a 2  b1 )2 (a 2  b 2 ) 2 (a 2  b3 ) 2 = 2 (a1 a2)(a2 a3)(a3 a1)(b1 b2)(b2 b3)(b3 b1)
(a 3  b1 )2 (a 3  b 2 ) 2 (a 3  b3 ) 2

2       
Ex.4 Prove that        2(  )(   ) (   )  (  ) = 0.
   (   )  (  ) 2

6. SYSTEM OF EQUATION

7. CRAMER'S RULE : [Simultaneous Equations Involving Three Unknowns]

Let a1x + b1y + c1z = d1 ...(I) ;
a2x + b2y + c2z = d2 ...(II) ;
a3x + b3y + c3z = d3 ...(III)
D1 D D
Then, x = , Y= 2 , Z= 3.
D D D
a1 b1 c1 d1 b1 c1 a1 d1 c1 a1 b1 d1
Where D= a 2 b2 c 2 ; D1= d 2 b2 c 2 ; D2 = a 2 d2 c 2 & D3 = a 2 b2 d2
a3 b3 c3 d3 b3 c3 a3 d3 c3 a3 b3 d3
NOTE :
(a) If D  0 and alteast one of D1, D2, D3  0, then the given system of equations are
consistent and have unique non trivial solution.
(b) If D  0 & D1 = D2 = D3 = 0, then the given system of equations are consistent and
have trivial solution only.
(c) If D = D1 = D2 = D3 = 0, then the given system of equations are consistent and have
infinite solutions.

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 a1x  b1y  c1z  d1 

In case a 2 x  b2 y  c2z  d 2  represents these parallel planes then also
a 3 x  b3 y  c3z  d 3 
D = D1 = D2 = D3 = 0 but the system is inconsistent.
(d) If D = 0 but atleast one of D1, D2, D3 is not zero then the equations are inconsistent
and have no solution.

EXAMPLES :
x  y  z  0 
Ex.1  x  y  z  0 non zero solution find .
 x  y  z  0
Ex.2 Let  and  be real. Find all values of  and  for which
x  (sin ) y  (cos )z  0 
x  (cos  ) y  (sin )z  0  has non trivial solution for  = 1 find all values of .
 x  (sin ) y  (cos )z  0

[Ans. x = sin2 + cos 2,   [ 2 , 2 ] ]

(sin 3) x  y  z  0 
Ex.3 (cos 2) x  4 y  3z  0 find  for non trivial solution.
2 x  7 y  7 z  0 
Ex.4 The value of  and  for which the system of equation
(sin ) x  (cos ) y  (  1)z  0
(cos ) x  (sin ) y  z  0  are consistent.
x  (  1) y  (cos )z  0 

7 x  7 y  5z  3
Ex.5 3x  y  5z  7  inconsistent, having no solution.
2 x  3y  5z  5

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