Q.Find values of x, if
🔒You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.
🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Determinant Evaluation Using Identities
Determinant Evaluation Using Identities
Expanding a 4×4 or 5×5 determinant term by term is painful and error-prone. The smarter route is to transform the determinant into an easy form using properties (the "identities") that change its value in a known, controlled way — then read the answer off a triangular matrix.
The geometric intuition
A determinant measures the signed "volume" of the box spanned by the rows in n-dimensional space. Sliding one row parallel to another doesn't change that volume; swapping two rows flips its sign; scaling a row scales the volume. The algebraic identities are just these facts translated into rules.
The three row (or column) operations
- Swap two rows: det→−det (sign flips).
- Scale a row by k: det→kdet (the factor comes out).
- Add a multiple of one row to a different row (Ri→Ri+λRj, i=j): det unchanged.
The identical rules hold for columns. There is also row-wise linearity: if a row is a sum Ri=Ri′+Ri′′, the determinant splits into the sum of two determinants with all other rows fixed.
Row-wise linearity is not det(A+B)=detA+detB — that is false. The splitting works one row at a time.
The strategy
- Use operation 3 to create zeros in a row or column (value unchanged).
- Factor out common factors with operation 2.
- Swap rows if needed to reach upper-triangular form (track the sign change).
- The determinant is then the product of the diagonal entries.
Worked example
det1472583610.
Apply R2→R2−4R1 and R3→R3−7R1 (no change), then R3→R3−2R2: …
Compute each 2×2 determinant with the rule ad−bc, set the two sides equal, and solve for x.
(i) 2541=2−20=−18 and 2x64x=2x2−24.
Equate: 2x2−24=−18⇒2x2=6⇒x2=3⇒x=±3. …
Evaluate each determinant, equate the two sides, and solve: (i) gives x=±3,
(ii) gives x=2.
A 2×2 determinant acbd is just the number ad−bc. So an equation between two determinants says two numbers are equal — evaluate both, then solve for x.
(i)
Left: 2541=(2)(1)−(4)(5)=2−20=−18.
Right: 2x64x=(2x)(x)−(4)(6)=2x2−24.
Equate: 2x2−24=−18⇒2x2=6⇒x2=3⇒x=±3. …
Method: Solving "Find x" Equations Between Two Determinants
Applies whenever two 2×2 (or larger) determinants are set equal and one contains an unknown.
Steps
Step 1: Evaluate the side with no unknown (or the simpler side) to a single number
Use ad−bc to reduce it to a pure numeric value.
Step 2: Evaluate the side containing x in terms of x
Apply ad−bc again; if x appears in more than one entry, the result will generally be a polynomial in x (often quadratic, since x may be squared).
Step 3: Equate the two expressions and solve …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Matching individual matrix entries instead of equating the two determinant VALUES
Why it's wrong: the problem states that the two determinants (numbers) are equal, not that the two matrices are equal entry by entry — trying to match entries directly is solving the wrong condition and generally has no valid solution. Correct approach: evaluate both determinants to numbers/expressions first, then set those two results equal.
Mistake 2: Reporting only one root when the equation in x turns out to be quadratic …
Showing the 12 most recent of 32 on this concept.
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-26-FN1 markMCQQ.If the inverse of −x0x14x1−4x7x0−2x is 20101−2701, then xx+1x+2x+1x+2x+3x+2x+3x+4= (A) 5x (B) x−5 (C) 5x−1 (D) x+5
›Reveal solutionSolution
This tests recognizing a determinant with AP-rows (always zero) and pinning down x from a matrix-inverse condition; the answer is whichever option numerically equals 0 at that x.
Concept and Intuition
A square matrix whose rows form an arithmetic progression (i.e. R1−2R2+R3=0) is always singular: its rows are linearly dependent, so its determinant is identically zero, no matter what parameter sits inside it. Spotting this saves a full cofactor expansion. The matrix-inverse condition is just the defining relation AA−1=I applied to one convenient entry.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Let A=−x0x14x1−4x7x0−2x and A−1=20101−2701.
- Using AA−1=I, multiply row 1 of A by column 1 of A−1: (−x)(2)+(14x)(0)+(7x)(1)=5x. This must equal the (1,1) entry of I, i.e. 1. So 5x=1⇒x=51. (Checking the other products confirms this value is consistent throughout the matrix.)
- Now look at D=xx+1x+2x+1x+2x+3x+2x+3x+4. Apply R1→R1−2R2+R3: each entry becomes x−2(x+1)+(x+2)=0, turning the first row into (0,0,0).
- A zero row forces D=0 for every value of x — this is an algebraic identity, independent of the specific x=1/5. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-23-FN1 markMCQQ.1−132103222022202120242023= (A) 8494−1611313 (B) 8494−1613312 (C) 8494−1613313 (D) 849416111313
›Reveal solutionSolution
Multiplying the given 3×3 matrix by itself, entry by entry using the row-times-column rule, produces 8494−1613313, matching option (C).
Concept and Intuition
Matrix multiplication of a square matrix A with itself (A×A=A2) is computed entry by entry: the (i,j) entry of the product is the dot product of row i of the first matrix with column j of the second matrix. Carrying this out carefully for all 9 entries of a 3×3 matrix gives the resulting product matrix.
Step-by-Step Solution
Let A=1−13210322. Compute A2=A⋅A entry by entry (row i of A dotted with column j of A):
- (1,1): 1(1)+2(−1)+3(3)=1−2+9=8
- (1,2): 1(2)+2(1)+3(0)=2+2+0=4
- (1,3): 1(3)+2(2)+3(2)=3+4+6=13
- (2,1): −1(1)+1(−1)+2(3)=−1−1+6=4
- (2,2): −1(2)+1(1)+2(0)=−2+1+0=−1
- (2,3): −1(3)+1(2)+2(2)=−3+2+4=3
- (3,1): 3(1)+0(−1)+2(3)=3+0+6=9
- (3,2): 3(2)+0(1)+2(0)=6+0+0=6
- (3,3): 3(3)+0(2)+2(2)=9+0+4=13
Assembling these gives A2=8494−1613313, which is an exact, entry-by-entry match with option (C). …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-23-AN1 markMCQQ.If x3+2x2+3x−2x3−x2−2x−1x2+2x+43x3−2x2+4x−2=ax6+bx5+cx4+dx3+ex2+fx+g, then a+b+c+d+e+f= (A) 23 (B) 25 (C) 21 (D) 20
›Reveal solutionSolution
Evaluating the determinant-polynomial at x=1 gives the sum of ALL coefficients (including the constant g); evaluating at x=0 isolates g alone. Subtracting removes g, leaving a+b+c+d+e+f=25.
Concept and Intuition
If P(x)=ax6+bx5+cx4+dx3+ex2+fx+g, a classic trick to get the sum of coefficients excluding the constant term is: P(1)=a+b+c+d+e+f+g gives the sum of all coefficients (since every power of 1 is 1), while P(0)=g isolates just the constant term. So P(1)−P(0)=a+b+c+d+e+f. Here P(x) is defined as the given 2×2 determinant, so we just need to evaluate that determinant at x=1 and x=0 directly — no need to expand the full degree-6 polynomial.
Step-by-Step Solution
- The determinant is x3+2x2+3x−2x3−x2−2x−1x2+2x+43x3−2x2+4x−2.
- At x=1: top-left =1+2+3−2=4; top-right =1+2+4=7; bottom-left =1−1−2−1=−3; bottom-right =3−2+4−2=3. Determinant =4(3)−7(−3)=12+21=33=P(1)=a+b+c+d+e+f+g. …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-17-FN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)=1006+xx−32x−436+x23x2−278x2−32, then x→1limf(−x)f(x)= (A) 2 (B) −1 (C) 0 (D) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Expanding the determinant reveals f(x)=2(x−1)(x−2)(x−3), a factor that vanishes at x=1, so the ratio f(x)/f(−x) has a zero numerator and finite nonzero denominator there — limit 0.
Concept and Intuition
Determinants with a column like (1,0,0)T expand trivially (cofactor of the top-left entry only), collapsing a 3×3 determinant into a 2×2 one. Recognising the resulting expression as a product of simple linear factors (rather than grinding through raw polynomial expansion) makes the limit evaluation immediate.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Expand along column 1 (entries 1,0,0): f(x)=1⋅x−32x−43x2−278x2−32=(x−3)(8x2−32)−(3x2−27)(2x−4).
- Factor: 8x2−32=8(x−2)(x+2), 3x2−27=3(x−3)(x+3), 2x−4=2(x−2).
- f(x)=8(x−3)(x−2)(x+2)−6(x−3)(x+3)(x−2)=(x−3)(x−2)[8(x+2)−6(x+3)]=(x−3)(x−2)(2x−2)=2(x−1)(x−2)(x−3).
- f(−x)=2(−x−1)(−x−2)(−x−3)=2⋅(−1)3(x+1)(x+2)(x+3)=−2(x+1)(x+2)(x+3). …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-14-AN1 markMCQQ.If f(x)=2+xsinx2211+xsinx1333+xsinx, then x→0limf(x)= (A) 1 (B) 0 (C) 5 (D) 7
›Reveal solutionSolution
Writing the determinant as det(B+sI) for a rank-1 matrix B with eigenvalues 6,0,0, the limit as s=sinx/x→1 is 7.
Concept and Intuition
Each row of the matrix, after removing the s=sinx/x terms sitting only on the diagonal, is identical: (2,1,3). A matrix all of whose rows are the same vector v is rank 1, and its eigenvalues are trace=v1+v2+v3 (once) and 0 (with multiplicity n−1). Adding sI shifts every eigenvalue by s, so the determinant of the shifted matrix is just the product of the shifted eigenvalues — no need to expand a 3×3 determinant directly.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Write f(x)=det(B+sI) where s=sinx/x and B=222111333 (every row is (2,1,3), since the s only appears added to the diagonal entries).
- B has identical rows ⇒ rank 1 ⇒ two eigenvalues are 0, and the third equals trace(B)=2+1+3=6.
- Adding sI shifts each eigenvalue of B by s: eigenvalues of B+sI are 6+s, s, s.
- det(B+sI)=(6+s)⋅s⋅s=s2(6+s). …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-19-AN1 markMCQQ.The value of b+cbcac+acaba+b is (A) abc (B) (a+b)(b+c)(c+a) (C) 4abc (D) (a−b)(b−c)(c−a)
›Reveal solutionSolution
This classic 3×3 determinant simplifies via row operations (adding all rows together makes every entry in one row equal to a+b+c) to the closed form 4abc, confirmed by direct numeric substitution.
Concept and Intuition
Many "nice" symmetric determinants like this one are best handled by first performing a row or column operation that reveals a common factor (here, adding all three rows makes every entry in the new row equal, exposing an (a+b+c) or similar factor), then simplifying the reduced 2×2 structure. When the algebra gets intricate, a quick numeric sanity check with simple values of a,b,c is an efficient way to confirm which answer choice matches.
Step-by-Step Solution
- The determinant is b+cbcac+acaba+b.
- Apply R1→R1+R2+R3: the new first row becomes (b+c+b+c, a+c+a+c, a+b+a+b)... more carefully, summing column-wise: column 1 sum =(b+c)+b+c=b+2c... to avoid an error-prone symbolic expansion, verify by direct numeric substitution instead (a clean, reliable check for this type of determinant).
- Numeric check: let a=1,b=2,c=3. The matrix becomes 523143123.
- Expand along Row 1: det=5(4⋅3−2⋅3)−1(2⋅3−2⋅3)+1(2⋅3−4⋅3)=5(12−6)−1(0)+1(6−12)=30−0−6=24. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-13-FN1 markMCQQ.For a fixed positive integer n, if D=n!(n+1)!(n+2)!(n+1)!(n+2)!(n+3)!(n+2)!(n+3)!(n+4)!, then n!(n+1)!(n+2)!D= (A) −4 (B) −2 (C) 2 (D) 4
›Reveal solutionSolution
Taking the factorials common from each row collapses the determinant to a constant: n!(n+1)!(n+2)!D=2 — option (C).
Working. Factor n!, (n+1)!, (n+2)! from rows 1, 2, 3 respectively:
D=n!(n+1)!(n+2)!111n+1n+2n+3(n+1)(n+2)(n+2)(n+3)(n+3)(n+4)
Hence n!(n+1)!(n+2)!D equals that 3×3 determinant. Apply R2→R2−R1 and R3→R3−R1, using (n+2)(n+3)−(n+1)(n+2)=2(n+2) and (n+3)(n+4)−(n+1)(n+2)=4n+10: …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-23-AN1 markMCQQ.The value of the determinant a+ba+2ba+4ba+2ba+3ba+5ba+3ba+4ba+6b is ____ (A) a (B) b (C) 0 (D) a+b
›Reveal solutionSolution
The rows of this determinant are in arithmetic progression (each row's entries increase by a constant step, and consecutive rows shift by a constant amount too); row-reducing shows two rows become proportional, forcing the determinant to 0.
Concept and Intuition
A determinant is zero whenever any two rows (or columns) are linearly dependent (e.g. one is a scalar multiple of another, or a linear combination of others). Rows built from an arithmetic-progression pattern (like a+b,a+2b,a+3b then shifting by a constant each row) are a classic setup for this — subtracting consecutive rows collapses the "arithmetic" structure into constant, proportional rows.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Original matrix:
a+ba+2ba+4ba+2ba+3ba+5ba+3ba+4ba+6b
- Perform R2→R2−R1: new R2=(a+2b−(a+b), a+3b−(a+2b), a+4b−(a+3b))=(b, b, b).
- Perform R3→R3−R2(original): new R3=(a+4b−(a+2b), a+5b−(a+3b), a+6b−(a+4b))=(2b, 2b, 2b). …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set eng-2023-05-15-AN1 markMCQQ.If the cofactors of the elements 3, 7 and 6 of the matrix 1422−14376 are a,b and c respectively, then [a b c]142+[a b c]376= (A) −1 (B) 1 (C) 0 (D) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
a,b,c turn out to be the cofactors of the matrix's third column, and the two
vectors being dotted with [a b c] are exactly its first and third columns. The
Laplace-expansion identity makes both dot products come out to (a multiple of) the
matrix's determinant, which here is 0 — so the sum is 0.
Concept and Intuition
For a 3×3 matrix A, the cofactor expansion identity says: if you take the
entries of any column of A and dot them with the cofactors of a matching column,
you get det(A); if you dot them with the cofactors of a different column, you get
0 (this is the algebraic content behind A⋅adj(A)=det(A)I). Recognising
that the two given vectors, (1,4,2)T and (3,7,6)T, are precisely columns 1 and 3
of the matrix — and that a,b,c are the cofactors of column 3 — turns this into a
one-line application of that identity instead of brute-force computation (though brute
force also works and is done below to double-check).
Step-by-Step Solution
- The matrix is M=1422−14376. The entries 3,7,6 sit at positions (1,3),(2,3),(3,3) — all in column 3. So a=C13, b=C23, c=C33.
- Compute C13 (delete row 1, col 3; sign (+1)1+3=+):
C13=+42−14=4(4)−(−1)(2)=16+2=18.
- Compute C23 (delete row 2, col 3; sign (−1)2+3=−):
C23=−1224=−(1⋅4−2⋅2)=−(0)=0.
- Compute C33 (delete row 3, col 3; sign (+1)3+3=+):
C33=+142−1=1(−1)−2(4)=−1−8=−9.
- So [a b c]=[18 0 −9].
- First dot product: [a b c]142=18(1)+0(4)+(−9)(2)=18−18=0. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-24-AN1 markMCQQ.Let A be a 2×2 matrix with real entries. Let I be the 2×2 identity matrix. Tr(A) denotes the sum of diagonal entries of A. Assume that A2=I. Statement I: If A=I and A=−I then detA=−1. Statement II: If A=I and A=−I then Tr A=0 (A) Statement I is true, statement II is true; statement II is a correct explanation for statement I (B) Statement I is true, statement II is true; statement II is not a correct explanation for statement I (C) Statement I is true, statement II is false (D) Statement I is false, statement II is true
›Reveal solutionSolution
For a real 2×2 matrix with A2=I, A=±I forces eigenvalues {1,−1},
giving detA=−1 (Statement I true) and TrA=0 exactly (so Statement II,
which claims TrA=0, is false).
Concept and Intuition
A2=I says A is an "involution" — applying it twice returns the identity. Its eigenvalues
must satisfy λ2=1, so λ∈{1,−1}. Since x2−1 has two distinct
roots, A is always diagonalizable (no repeated-root Jordan-block subtlety). For a
2×2 matrix there are only three possible eigenvalue multisets: {1,1} (forces
A=I), {−1,−1} (forces A=−I), or {1,−1} — and the hypothesis A=±I
eliminates the first two, pinning down the third exactly.
Step-by-Step Solution
- A2=I⇒ eigenvalues λ satisfy λ2=1⇒λ=±1; since these roots are distinct, A is diagonalizable over R.
- Case eigenvalues {1,1}: a diagonalizable matrix with both eigenvalues equal to 1 is similar to I, and similar-to-I forces the matrix itself to equal I (since PIP−1=I for any P). This case is excluded (A=I).
- Case eigenvalues {−1,−1}: analogously forces A=−I. Excluded (A=−I).
- Remaining case: eigenvalues {1,−1}. This is the only possibility left once A=I,−I is assumed. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-25-AN1 markMCQQ.If the determinant cos2xsin2xcos2xsin2xcos2xcos2xcos2xcos2xcos2x is expanded in powers of cosx, then the constant term in the expansion is (A) 1 (B) −1 (C) 0 (D) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
The constant term of a polynomial in cosx is exactly the value obtained by setting cosx=0. Answer: (A).
Concept and Intuition
If a determinant's entries are polynomials in c=cosx, expanding it produces a polynomial in c. Its constant term (the c0 coefficient) equals the value of the whole expression when c=0 — a shortcut that avoids expanding the full polynomial in cosx.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Write each entry in terms of c=cosx: cos2x=2c2−1, sin2x=1−c2, cos2x=c2.
- Set c=0: cos2x→−1, sin2x→1, cos2x→0.
- The matrix becomes −11−11−10−10−1. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-20-AN1 markMCQQ.If k∈R and detA=a1a2a3b1b2b3c1c2c3=k then detB=a1a2+2a1a3b1b2+2b1b3c1c2+2c1c3 is equal to (A) 0 (B) 2K (C) K (D) K2
›Reveal solutionSolution
detB is obtained from detA by the elementary row operation R2→R2+2R1, which
leaves a determinant unchanged; so detB=detA=k.
Concept and Intuition
A core determinant property: adding a scalar multiple of one row to another row does not change the determinant's value. This is because splitting the determinant using linearity in
row 2 gives the original determinant plus 2× a determinant with two identical rows (rows 1
and the added copy of row 1), and any determinant with two identical rows is exactly zero.
Step-by-Step Solution
- detB=a1a2+2a1a3b1b2+2b1b3c1c2+2c1c3.
- By linearity in row 2, split this into two determinants: detB=a1a2a3b1b2b3c1c2c3+2a1a1a3b1b1b3c1c1c3. …
🎓Unlock everything free for 14 days
- ✓Full step-by-step solutions
- ✓Concept-first explanations
- ✓Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- ✓PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.