Lecture 6.

1 Applications of Determinants

Minors and cofactors of a Matrix

 a11 a12 a13 

Let A = a 21 a 22 a 23 
a31 a32 a33 
Definition 1:
Given a matrix A, the Minor of aij  M ij , is determinant obtained from A by
removing i th row and j th column.

a 22 a 23
M11  is determinant obtained by deleting 1st row and 1st column
a 32 a 33

a 22 a 23 a a 23 a a 22
M11  , M12  21 , M13  21
a 32 a 33 a 31 a 33 a 31 a 32
a12 a13 a a a a
M 21  , M 22  11 13 , M 23  11 12
a 32 a 33 a 31 a 33 a 31 a 32
a 21 a 22 a a13 a a12
M13  , M 32  11 , M 33  11
a 31 a 32 a 21 a 23 a 21 a 22

i j
Cofactor of aij  Cij  (1) M ij

Signs of Cofactors

 
For 2x2 – matrix 
  
  
For 3x3 – matrix    
   
   
    
For 4x4 – matrix 
   
 
_   

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Definition 2:
Given a matrix A, the cofactor of the element aij is a scalar obtained by
multiplying together the term (-1)i+j and the minor obtained from A by
removing the i th row and the j th column.

Example:1.
Find all minors and cofactors of the matrix

3 4  1 
A  1 0 3 
2 5  4
Solution:
0 3 1 3 1 0
M11   15, M12   10, M13  5
5 4 2 4 2 5
4 1 3 1 3 4
M 21   11, M 22   10, M 23  7
5 4 2 4 2 5
4 1 3 1 3 4
M 31   12, M 32   10, M 33   4
0 3 1 0 1 0

Cofactor of aij  Cij  (1) i  j M ij

C11  15, C12  10, C13  5

C 21  11, C 22  10, C 23  7
C31  12, C32  10, C33  4

 15 10 5
NOTE: Matrix of cofactors , C   11  10  7

 12  10  4

NOTE: Determinant of matrix of Cofactors by the method of cofactors

det( A)  a11C11  a12C12  a13C13

det( A)  a 21C 21  a 22C 22  a 23C 23
det( A)  a31C31  a32C32  a33C33

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 The above equations can be used to check that the cofactors are found correctly as
the values of determinants found must be equal, we open matrix from any row or column.

Example: 2 .
Find the determinant of the matrix A by method of cofactors,

3 4  1 
A  1 0 3 
2 5  4

Solution:
Using the cofactors found in the last example.
Expanding from First row
det( A)  a11C11  a12C12  a13C13
= 3(-15)+4(10)+(-1)(5)
=-45 + 40 - 5 = -10

NOTE: 3. We can find determinant by opening matrix from second or third

row or first column, the value of the determinant will be same

det( A)  a21C21  a22C22  a23C23

=(1)(11)+0(-10)+3(-7)=11 – 21 = -10

det( A)  a31C31  a32C32  a33C33

= 2(12) +5(-10)+(-4)(-4) =24 – 50 +16 = -10

NOTE : 4. Determinant of A can be obtained by multiplying any row or any

column of matrix A with the corresponding cofactors of the matrix.

 a11 a12 a13 

NOTE: 5. Determinant of matrix A = a a 23 
 21 a 22
a31 a32 a33 

a 22 a 23 a a 23 a a 22
det A = a11  a12 21  a13 21 .
a32 a33 a31 a33 a31 a32

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 Lecture 6.2 : Inverse by method of Cofactors

 a11 a12 a13 

A = a 21 a 22 a 23  det A ≠ 0.
a31 a32 a33 

Step:1. Find Matrix of cofactors

C11 C12 C13 

C = C 21 C 22 C 23 
C31 C32 C33 

Step : 2. Find Adjoint of matrix A , adj(A)

T
C11 C12 C13 
Adj(A) = C 21 C 22 C 23 
C 31 C 32 C33 

Step: 3.
If A is an invertible matrix, det(A)  0, then
1
A 1  [adj ( A)]
det A

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 Example: 3 . Find A-1 of matrix A

2 0 3
A =  0 3 2  by the method of cofactors.
 2 0  4

Solution: Cofactors of the matrix A are

3 2 0 2 0 3
C11   12, C12    4, C13  6
0 4 2 4 2 0
0 3 2 3 2 0
C 21    0, C 22   2, C 23    0,
0 4 2 4 2 0
0 3 2 3 2 0
C 31   9, C 32    4, C 33  6
3 2 0 2 0 3

 12  4 6
Matrix of cofactors, C =  0  2 0
  9  4 6

 12 0  9
Adjoint of matrix A, adj(A) =   4  2  4
 6 0 6 

det( A)  a11C11  a12C12  a13C13

= 2(-12)+0(-4)+3(6)
=-24 +18 = - 6  0

Inverse of the matrix A is

1  12 0  9
A 1  [adj ( A)] = 1 
 4  2  4
det A 6 
 6 0 6 
NOTE :
If we can find A-1 , then solution of linear system
AX = B is X = A-1B

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Lecture 6.3 : Cramer’s Rule
Using determinants to solve a system of linear equations.
Theorem:
If A is n  n matrix with det(A)  0, then the linear system AX = B has a
unique solution X = (xj) given by

det( A j )
xj  , j = 1,2,…,n
det( A)
Where Aj is the matrix obtained by replacing the jth column of A by B.

NOTE: If A is 3x3 matrix , then the solution of the system AX = B is

det(A1 ) det(A 2 ) det(A3 )

x , y , z
det(A) det(A) det(A)

Example 4.
Use Cramer’s Rule to solve

4x  5 y 2
11x  y  2 z  3
x  5 y  2z  1
Solution:
 4 5 0 2 5 0  4 2 0  4 5 2
A = 11 1 2 , A1 = 3 1 2 , A =
  2
11 3 2 , A =
  3
11 1 3
 
 1 5 2 1 5 2  1 1 2  1 5 1 

det(A) = -132, det(A1) =-36, det(A2) = -24, det(A3) = 12

det( A1 )  36 3
x   ,
det( A)  132 11
det( A2 )  24 2
y   ,
det( A)  132 11
det( A31 ) 12 1
z  
det( A)  132 11

NOTE: If det(A) = 0, then there does not exist any solution of the system.

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