3.

2 Properties

Math 2331 – Linear Algebra

3.2 Properties of Determinants

Jiwen He

Department of Mathematics, University of Houston

jiwenhe@math.uh.edu
math.uh.edu/∼jiwenhe/math2331

Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 1 / 10

 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

3.2 Properties of Determinants

Elementary Row Operations

Examples
Theorem

Triangular Matrices
Examples
Theorem

Determinant of the Transpose

Multiplicative Property
Examples
Theorem

Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 2 / 10

 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Properties of Determinants

Theorem (Elementary Row Operations)

Let A be a square matrix.
a. If a multiple of one row of A is added to another row of A to
produce a matrix B, then det A = det B.
b. If two rows of A are interchanged to produce B, then
det B = − det A.
c. If one row of A is multiplied by k to produce B, then
det B = k · det A.

Theorem still holds if the word row is replaced

with .

Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 3 / 10

 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Properties of Determinants: Example

Example
 

 1 2 3 4 
 0 5 0 0 
Compute  .
 2 7 6 10 
 2 9 7 11 

Solution
 
 1 2
3 4     
  1 3 4   1 3 4 
 0 5
0 0    

 2 = 5  2 6 10  = 5  0 0 2
 
7
6 10 
 2


 2 7 11   2 7 11 
9
7 11 
   

 1 3 4   1
 3 4 
= 5  0 0 2  = −5  0
 1 3  = = .
 0 1 3   0 0 2 
Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 4 / 10
 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Properties of Determinants: Example

   
 ∗ ∗ ∗   ∗ ∗ ∗ 
   
Theorem (c) indicates that  −2k 5k 4k  = k  −2 5 4 .
 ∗ ∗ ∗   ∗ ∗ ∗ 

Example
 
 2 4 6 
 
Compute  5 6 7 

 7 6 10 

Solution
     
 2 4 6   1 2 3   1 2 3 
    
 5 6 7

 = 2 5 6 7  = 2 0
    −4 −8 
 7 6 10   7 6 10   0 −8 −11 
   
 1 2 3   1 2 3 
 
= 2(−4)  0 1 2  = 2(−4)  0
 1 2  = −40
 0 −8 −11   0 0 5 
Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 5 / 10
 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Properties of Determinants: Example

Example
 

 2 3 0 1 

 4 7 0 3 
Compute   by row reduction and cofac. expansion.
 7 9 −2 4 

 1 2 0 4 
 
 2
3 0 1     
 2 3 1 
   2 3 1 
 4
7 0 3  
 = −2 
 
Solution  4 7 3  = −2  0 1 1 
9 −2 4
7   
 1 2 4 
   1 2 4 
 1
2 0 4 
     
 2 3 1   1 2 4   1 2 4 
    
= 2  1 2 4  = −2  2 3 1  = −2  0 −1 −7 
 0 1 1   0 1 1   0 1 1 
 
 1 2 4 

= −2  0 −1 −7  = −2 (1) (−1) (−6) = −12.
 0 0 −6 
Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 6 / 10
 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Properties of Determinants: Triangulation

Suppose A has been reduced to

 
 ∗ ∗ ··· ∗
 0
  ∗ ··· ∗ 

U= 0
 0  ··· ∗ 

 .. .. 
 0 0 0 . . 
0 0 0 0 

by row replacements and row interchanges, then

  
 (−1) r product of
 when A is invertible
det A = pivots in U

0 when A is not invertible


Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 7 / 10

 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Determinant of the Transpose

Theorem
A square matrix is invertible if and only if det A 6= 0.

Theorem
If A is an n × n matrix, then det AT = det A.
Partial proof (2 × 2 case)
 
a b
det = ad − bc and
c d
 T  
a b a c
det = det = ad − bc
c d b d
   
a b a c
⇒ det = det .
c d b d

Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 8 / 10

 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Determinant of the Transpose (cont.)

(3 × 3 case)
 
a b c      
 e f   d f   d e 
det d e f
  = a  − b  + c 
h i  g i  g h 
g h i
 
a d g      
 e h   d g   d g 
det b e h = a 
  − b  + c 
f i   f i   e h 
c f i
   
a b c a d g
⇒ det d e
 f  = det b e
 h .
g h i c f i

Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 9 / 10

 3.2 Properties Row Operations Triangulation

Multiplicative Property

Theorem (Multiplicative Property)

For n × n matrices A and B, det (AB) = (det A) (det B).

Example
Compute det A3 if det A = 5.

Solution: det A3 = det (AAA) = (det A) (det A) (det A)

= = .
Example
For n × n matrices A and B, show that A is singular if det B 6= 0
and det AB = 0.
Solution: Since (det A) (det B) = det AB = 0 and det B 6= 0,
then det A = 0. Therefore A is singular.
Jiwen He, University of Houston Math 2331, Linear Algebra 10 / 10