Q.Find the value of the following: [−1−352]
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🔒 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: …
The key idea is to evaluate a 2×2 determinant using the formula det=ad−bc.
Step 1: Identify the entries: a=−1, b=5, c=−3, d=2.
Step 2: Apply the formula:
det=(−1)(2)−(5)(−3) …
The determinant of a 2×2 matrix [acbd] is ad−bc. For [−1−352], this gives (−1)(2)−(5)(−3)=−2+15=13.
The problem asks for the value of the matrix, but a matrix itself is an array of numbers — it doesn't have a single "value" in the ordinary sense. In the context of determinants (which is the standard interpretation for such a question), we are being asked to compute its determinant. The determinant is a special number associated with a square matrix that tells us, among other things, whether the matrix is invertible and how it scales area (or volume).
For a 2×2 matrix, the formula is straightforward and worth remembering:
det[acbd]=ad−bc
This is the product of the main diagonal entries minus the product of the off-diagonal entries. The "main diagonal" runs from top-left to bottom-right.
Let's apply it step by step.
-
Identify the entries.
In [−1−352], we have:
- a=−1 (top-left)
- b=5 (top-right)
- c=−3 (bottom-left)
- d=2 (bottom-right)
-
Compute ad.
Multiply a and d: (−1)×2=−2.
-
Compute bc.
Multiply b and c: 5×(−3)=−15.
-
Subtract bc from ad.
The determinant is ad−bc=(−2)−(−15). …
Method: Evaluating a 2×2 Determinant With Negative Entries
Same baseline ad−bc technique, with extra care for double-negative subtraction.
Steps
Step 1: Identify the four entries with their signs
Label acbd exactly as printed.
Step 2: Compute ad and bc separately
Keep each product's sign explicit before combining them. …
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Mishandling the double-negative subtraction ad−bc produces
Why it's wrong: here ad=−2 and bc=−15, so the formula requires computing −2−(−15) — rushing this step often gives −2−15=−17 (treating it as if both were being added negatively) instead of the correct −2+15=13. Correct approach: rewrite "subtracting a negative" as an explicit addition (−2−(−15)=−2+15) before combining, rather than trying to do it in one mental step.
Mistake 2: Losing track of which entry's sign belongs to b versus c when both diagonal entries are negative …
Showing the 12 most recent of 32 on this concept.
- 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 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 2025Set eng-2025-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.2311+131/31+1/231/91+1/431/271+…∞= (A) 0 (B) 21 (C) −21 (D) −1
›Reveal solutionSolution
Expand each 2×2 determinant, recognise two independent geometric series in the result, and sum them separately. Answer: (C).
Concept and Intuition
Every term in the sum is a 2×2 determinant with a fixed bottom row (31), so a3b1=a−3b splits linearly into an a-part and a b-part. Once each part is recognised as its own geometric progression, the infinite sum is just the difference of two standard geometric series sums, 1−rfirst term.
Step-by-Step Solution
- General term: an3bn1=an⋅1−bn⋅3=an−3bn.
- First-column values across the given terms: 2,1,21,41,… — a geometric sequence with first term 2 and ratio 21: an=2(21)n−1.
- Second-column values: 1,31,91,271,… — geometric with first term 1 and ratio 31: bn=(31)n−1. …
- 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 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-FN1 markMCQQ.If A=[α255−α] and det(A10)=1024, then α= (A) −2 (B) −1 (C) −3 (D) 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
Use det(A10)=(detA)10 to pin down detA=±2, then solve the resulting cubic in α using the actual 2×2 determinant. Answer: α=−3.
Concept and Intuition
For any square matrix, det(An)=(detA)n. So knowing det(A10)=1024=210 tells us (detA)10=210, meaning detA must be a real 10th root of 1024 — since 10 is even, this allows detA=2 or detA=−2 (both give (±2)10=1024). We then compute detA directly from the given matrix in terms of α and match against the candidate integer roots offered.
Step-by-Step Solution
- det(A10)=(detA)10=1024=210⇒detA=2 or detA=−2.
- Compute detA directly: A=[α255−α], so detA=α2(−α)−(5)(5)=−α3−25.
- Case detA=2: −α3−25=2⇒α3=−27⇒α=−3.
- Case detA=−2: −α3−25=−2⇒α3=−23⇒α=−323, not an integer, and not among the answer choices. …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-12-AN1 markMCQQ.−a2abacab−b2bcacbc−c2= (A) a2b2c2 (B) 2a2b2c2 (C) 3a2b2c2 (D) 4a2b2c2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Factoring a, b, c out of the three rows reduces the determinant to a simpler ±1-coefficient determinant that evaluates to 4abc, giving a total of 4a2b2c2. Answer: (D).
Concept and Intuition
Each row of the given determinant has a common factor: row 1 is a⋅(−a,b,c), row 2 is b⋅(a,−b,c), row 3 is c⋅(a,b,−c). Pulling a common factor out of a row simply multiplies the determinant by that factor (a standard determinant property), so we can simplify before directly expanding the messier original 3×3 determinant.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Original determinant: −a2abacab−b2bcacbc−c2.
- Factor a from row 1, b from row 2, c from row 3:
=abc−aaab−bbcc−c
- Expand this reduced determinant along the first row: −a−bbc−c−baac−c+caa−bb …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-05-AN1 markMCQQ.If b and c are non zero real numbers, A=1bcb23c34 and B=0−b−cb0−2c20, then det(A+B)= (A) 3 (B) 1 (C) -1 (D) 0
›Reveal solutionSolution
Adding the symmetric A and skew-symmetric B entrywise cancels the off-diagonal b,c terms below the diagonal, leaving a matrix whose determinant is a fixed number independent of b,c: 3.
Concept and Intuition
A is symmetric and B is skew-symmetric (its transpose is its negative, with zero diagonal). Adding them entrywise, the upper-triangular parts of A+B pick up b+b=2b and c+c=2c, while the lower-triangular parts get b+(−b)=0 and c+(−c)=0 — so A+B becomes upper triangular in its first column, letting the determinant be computed by a clean cofactor expansion that never involves b or c.
Step-by-Step Solution
- A=1bcb23c34, B=0−b−cb0−2c20.
- Add entrywise: (A+B)11=1, (A+B)12=2b, (A+B)13=2c; (A+B)21=b−b=0, (A+B)22=2, (A+B)23=3+2=5; (A+B)31=c−c=0, (A+B)32=3−2=1, (A+B)33=4.
- So A+B=1002b212c54. …
- 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 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 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-FN1 markMCQQ.For i=1,2,3 and j=1,2,3. If ai2+bi2+ci2=1, aiaj+bibj+cicj=0, ∀i=j and A=a1b1c1a2b2c2a3b3c3 then det(AAT)= (A) 0 (B) 1 (C) −1 (D) 3
›Reveal solutionSolution
The conditions given say the rows of A form an orthonormal set, which is precisely the condition AAT=I; so its determinant is 1. Answer: 1.
Concept and Intuition
For a matrix A with rows R1,R2,R3, the (i,j) entry of AAT is exactly the dot product Ri⋅Rj. The problem states ai2+bi2+ci2=1 (each row is a unit vector) and aiaj+bibj+cicj=0 for i=j (distinct rows are perpendicular). Together these say the rows are orthonormal — which is the defining property of an orthogonal matrix, for which AAT=I.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Write (AAT)ij=Ri⋅Rj=aiaj+bibj+cicj.
- For i=j: (AAT)ii=ai2+bi2+ci2=1 (given).
- For i=j: (AAT)ij=aiaj+bibj+cicj=0 (given).
- So AAT=I3, the 3×3 identity matrix.
- det(AAT)=det(I3)=1.
Common Mistakes …
- 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. …
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