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Worked Examples · Example 4

Q.Using the properties of determinants, evaluate ∣2461353711∣\begin{vmatrix} 2 & 4 & 6 \\ 1 & 3 & 5 \\ 3 & 7 & 11 \end{vmatrix} without expanding it directly.

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Step 1 — take out the common factor of row 1 (Property 4). Row 1 is (2,4,6)=2(1,2,3)(2,4,6) = 2(1,2,3), so ∣2461353711∣=2∣1231353711∣.\begin{vmatrix} 2 & 4 & 6 \\ 1 & 3 & 5 \\ 3 & 7 & 11 \end{vmatrix} = 2\begin{vmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 1 & 3 & 5 \\ 3 & 7 & 11 \end{vmatrix}.

Step 2 — apply row operations R2→R2−R1R_2\to R_2-R_1 and R3→R3−3R1R_3\to R_3-3R_1 (Property 5, value unchanged). R2−R1=(1−1, 3−2, 5−3)=(0,1,2),R3−3R1=(3−3, 7−6, 11−9)=(0,1,2).R_2-R_1 = (1-1,\ 3-2,\ 5-3) = (0,1,2), \qquad R_3-3R_1 = (3-3,\ 7-6,\ 11-9) = (0,1,2). The determinant becomes 2∣123012012∣.2\begin{vmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 0 & 1 & 2 \\ 0 & 1 & 2 \end{vmatrix}.

Step 3 — two identical rows (Property 3). Rows 2 and 3 of this new determinant are identical (0,1,2)(0,1,2), so by Property 3 the determinant itself is 00. Hence the whole expression is 2×0=02\times 0 = 0. …

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