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Calculating the determinant 20002013 using row operations P. Bogacki v. 1.24

PROBLEM
-2 Calculate the determinant of the matrix 2 1 -2 1 2 2 3 3 4 -1 1 1 3 2 1

SOLUTION
Step 1: Transform the matrix to a row echelon form Step 2: Calculate the determinant Comments

Step 1: Transform the matrix to a row echelon form

-1 -2 Row Operation 1: 2 1 -2 1 2 2 3 3 4 -1 1 1 3 2 1 multiply the 1st row by -1/2 the determinant is multiplied by -1/2 1 2 2 1 -2 -1 1 Row Operation 2: 2 2 1 -2 2 2 3 2 4 -1 1 2 3 2 1 add -2 times the 1st row to the 2nd row the determinant does not change -3 -1 1 2 0 1 -2 3 2 3 -1 1 2 add -1 times the 1st row to the 3rd row 0 3 2 7 2 4
1/5

-3 2 4 -1 1 -1

-1 2 3 2 1 -3 2 7 -1 1 -3 -1 2 4 2 1 -1

2 2 3

-1 1 Row 2

-3 2

-1 2

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Operation 3:

0 1 -2

3 2 3

7 -1 1

4 2 1

the determinant does not change 0

5 2 -2 3

1 2 1

5 2 1

-1 1 2 Row Operation 4: 0 0 2 -2 3 3 5

-3 2 7 1 2 1

-1 1 2 4 5 2 1 0 add 2 times the 1st row to the 4th row the determinant does not change 0 0

-1 2 3 5 2 2 -1

-3 2 7 1 2 -2 -3 2 7

-1 2 4 5 2 0 -1 2 4 3 5 2 0 -3 2 7 -1 2 4 3 -5 6 0 -1 2
2/5

-1 1 2 Row Operation 5: 0 0 2 0 2 3 5

-3 2 7 1 2 -2

-1 2 4 5 2 0 multiply the 2nd row by 1/3 the determinant is multiplied by 1/3

1 2 0 1 3 5 0 2 0 2 2 -2 -1 1 2 add -5/2 times the 2nd row to the 3rd row the determinant does not change 0 1 3 -16 0 0 3 0 2 -1 1 2 2 -2 -3 1

-1 1 2 Row Operation 6: 0 1

-3 2 7 3

-1 2 4 3 5 2 0

5 0 2 0 2

1 2 -2

-1 1

-3

-1

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2 Row Operation 7: 0 1

2 7 3 -16

2 4 3 -5 6 0 add -2 times the 2nd row to the 4th row the determinant does not change

7 3 -16

4 3 -5 6 -8 3

0 3 -20

0 0

0 3 2 -2 0 0

-1 1 2 0 1

-3 2 7

-1 1 2 4 0

-1 2 1

-3 2 7

-1 2 4 3 5

Row Operation 8:

3 -16 0 0 3 -20 0 0 3 -1 1 2 0 1 3 0 0 1 2 7 -3

3 -5 6 -8

multiply the 3rd row by -3/16 the determinant is multiplied by -3/16 0 0

3 1

32 -20 0 0 3 -1 1 2 0 1 3 0 0 1 32 -13 0 0 0 8 3 5 -3 2 7 add 20/3 times the 3rd row to the 4th row the determinant does not change 3 -1 2 4 -8

3 -1 2 4 3 5 32

Row Operation 9:

-20 0 0 3 -1 1 2 0 1 2 7 -3

-8 3 -1 2 4 -1 1 2 2 7 2 4 -3 -1

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Row Operation 10:

3 0 0 1

3 5 32 -13

multiply the 4th row by -8/13 the determinant is multiplied by -8/13

3 1

3 5

0 0

0 0

32 0 1

0 8

Step 2: Calculate the determinant

-2 Let us denote the original matrix: A = 2 1 -2 1 2 2 3 3 4 -1 1 1 3 2 1 -1 1 2 0 1 3 0 0 We then have the following relationship: det(A) (-1/2) (1/3) (-3/16) (-8/13) = det(B). Since det(B) = 1 , we have, det(A) = -52. 0 0 1 32 0 1 3 5 2 7 and the row echelon form obtained above: B = 2 4 -3 -1

Comments
Shortcut: Row echelon form is not necessary here - the row operations can be stopped as soon as an upper triangular matrix is obtained. Reference: Kolman Introductory Linear Algebra with Applications, 6th Ed., p.99 - Example 16. This concludes the solution of the problem. Do you want to
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