ME 501

IIT Guwahati
Advanced Engineering Mathematics (3−0−0−6)

M01: Linear Algebra, L08: Determinant

Course Instructor

Dr. Sajan Kapil

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
Guwahati, Assam
 M01 L08: Contents 2

 Computation of Determinant
o Cofactor Expansion Method
o Elementary Row Elimination/ Gauss Elimination Method
 Matrix: Co-factor Expansion 3

𝑎11 ⋯ 𝑎1𝑛
𝐴= ⋮ 𝑎𝑖𝑗 ⋮
𝑎𝑛1 ⋯ 𝑎𝑛𝑛

det 𝐴 = 𝑎𝑖1 𝑐𝑖1 + 𝑎𝑖2 𝑐𝑖2 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑛

𝑐𝑖𝑗 = −1 𝑖+𝑗 . det 𝐴

𝑖𝑗

𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13

𝐴 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33

Co-factor expansion along the first row (𝑖 = 1)

det 𝐴 = 𝑎11 𝑐11 + 𝑎12 𝑐12 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑛

𝑎22 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎23 𝑎21 𝑎22
det 𝐴 = 𝑎11 −1 1+1 𝑎 + 𝑎12 −1 1+2
𝑎33 + 𝑎13 −1
1+3
32 𝑎33 𝑎31 𝑎31 𝑎32
 Matrix: Co-factor Expansion 4

𝑎11 𝑎12 𝑎13

𝐴 = 𝑎21 𝑎22 𝑎23
𝑎31 𝑎32 𝑎33

Co-factor expansion along the first row (𝑖 = 2)

det 𝐴 = 𝑎11 𝑐11 + 𝑎12 𝑐12 + ⋯ + 𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑖𝑛

2+1 12
𝑎 𝑎13 2+2
𝑎11 𝑎13 2+3
𝑎11 𝑎12
det 𝐴 = 𝑎21 −1 𝑎32 𝑎33 + 𝑎22 −1 𝑎31 𝑎33 + 𝑎23 −1 𝑎31 𝑎32
 Matrix: Determinant after Elementary row operations 5

Let A be an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix
a. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by interchanging two rows of A, then det 𝐵 = − det 𝐴
b. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of the some row of 𝐴 by scalar 𝑘, then 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐵 = 𝑘. 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐴
c. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of some row of 𝐴 to a different row, then det 𝐵 = det 𝐴
d. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by the transpose of 𝐴, then det 𝐵 = det 𝐴

In a vector space 𝑣 over 𝑅2 , there is an image with area ℎ unit 2. Assume a transformation function 𝐴, transformed the
vector space 𝑣 → 𝑢. Now the new area of the image will be det 𝐴 × ℎ. Assume there is another transformation function
B transform the 𝑢 → 𝑤. Then the area of the image will be det 𝐵 × det 𝐴 × ℎ. Therefore:

det 𝐵𝐴 = det 𝐵 × det 𝐴

Each of the operation described in a., b. and c. can be considered as a transformation.

 Matrix: Determinant after Elementary row operations 6

Let A be an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix
a. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by interchanging two rows of A, then det 𝐵 = − det 𝐴

a) 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by interchanging two rows of A

𝟎 𝟏 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑩=
𝟏 𝟎 𝑎21 𝑎22

𝟎 𝟏
det = −1
𝟏 𝟎

𝟎 𝟏 𝑎11 𝑎12
det 𝐵 = det det 𝑎 𝑎22 = − det 𝐴
𝟏 𝟎 21

So If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by interchanging two rows of A, then det 𝐵 = − det 𝐴

 Matrix: Determinant after Elementary row operations 7

Let A be an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix
a. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of the some row of 𝐴 by scalar 𝑘, then 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐵 = 𝑘. 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐴

a) 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of the some row of 𝐴 by scalar 𝑘, then 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐵 = 𝑘. 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐴

𝒌 𝟎 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑩=
𝟎 𝟏 𝑎21 𝑎22

𝒌 𝟎
det = −𝑘
𝟎 𝟏

𝒌 𝟎 𝑎11 𝑎12
det 𝐵 = det det 𝑎 𝑎22 = 𝑘 det 𝐴
𝟎 𝟏 21

So if 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of the some row of 𝐴 by scalar 𝑘, then 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐵 = 𝑘. 𝑑𝑒𝑡 𝐴
 Matrix: Determinant after Elementary row operations 8

Let A be an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix
a. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of some row of 𝐴 to a different row, then det 𝐵 = det 𝐴

a) 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of some row of 𝐴 to a different row, then det 𝐵 = det 𝐴

𝟏 𝟎 𝑎11 𝑎12
𝑩=
𝒌 𝟏 𝑎21 𝑎22

𝟏 𝟎
det =1
𝒌 𝟏

𝟏 𝟎 𝑎11 𝑎12
det 𝐵 = det det 𝑎 𝑎22 = 1. det 𝐴
𝒌 𝟏 21

So if 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by multiplying each entry of some row of 𝐴 to a different row, then det 𝐵 = det 𝐴
 Matrix: Determinant after Elementary row operations 9

Let A be an 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrix
a. If 𝐵 is a matrix obtained by the transpose of 𝐴, then det 𝐵 = det 𝐴

We shall see the prove after discussing the QR decomposition.

Currently lets just visualize

1 2
3 4
1 3
2 4
Matrix: Co-factor Expansion: UT matrix 10

The determinant of upper and lower triangular matrix equals the products of its diagonal entries.

−2 0 0 −2 8 −6
𝐴= 8 7 0 𝐵= 0 7 −1
−6 −1 −3 0 0 −3
 Matrix: Elementary row operations: UT matrix 11

The computation of matrix by co-factor expansion is quit inefficient. However, it was observed that finding
the determinant of UT / LT matrix is quit easy. Therefore, it may be a good idea to first convert a matrix into
UT or LT and then find out the determinant.

let try to see the effect of elementary row transformation on the determinant of a matrix.

1 2 3
𝐵= 4 5 6
7 9 8

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 5 1 2 3
− 𝑟 +𝑟 →𝑟
𝐵 = 4 5 6 −−4𝑟1+𝑟2→𝑟2 > 0 −3 −6 −−7𝑟1+𝑟3→𝑟3 > 0 −3 −6 − 3 2 3 3 > 0 −3 −6 = 𝑈
7 9 8 7 9 8 0 −5 −13 0 0 −3

det 𝐵 = det 𝑈
 Matrix: Elementary row operations: UT matrix 12

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 5 1 2 3
− 𝑟2 +𝑟3 →𝑟3
𝐵 = 4 5 6 −−4𝑟1+𝑟2→𝑟2 > 0 −3 −6 −−7𝑟1+𝑟3→𝑟3 > 0 −3 −6 − 3 > 0 −3 −6 = 𝑈
7 9 8 7 9 8 0 −5 −13 0 0 −3
Matrix: Elementary row operations: UT matrix 13

1 2 −3𝑟1 +𝑟2 →𝑟2

1 2
𝐴= − > 𝐵=
3 4 0 −2
Matrix: Properties of Determinant 14
Matrix: Properties of Determinant 15
 ME 501
IIT Guwahati
Advanced Engineering Mathematics (3−0−0−6)

Thank You

Course Instructor

Dr. Sajan Kapil

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
Guwahati, Assam