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Worked Examples · Example 4

Q.Using the properties of determinants, evaluate ∣369258147∣\begin{vmatrix} 3 & 6 & 9 \\ 2 & 5 & 8 \\ 1 & 4 & 7 \end{vmatrix} without full direct expansion.

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Step 1 — take out the common factor of row 1 (Property 4). Row 1 is (3,6,9)=3(1,2,3)(3,6,9)=3(1,2,3), so ∣369258147∣=3∣123258147∣.\begin{vmatrix} 3 & 6 & 9 \\ 2 & 5 & 8 \\ 1 & 4 & 7 \end{vmatrix} = 3\begin{vmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 2 & 5 & 8 \\ 1 & 4 & 7 \end{vmatrix}.

Step 2 — row operations R2→R2−2R1R_2\to R_2-2R_1 and R3→R3−R1R_3\to R_3-R_1 (Property 5, value unchanged). R2−2R1=(2−2, 5−4, 8−6)=(0,1,2),R3−R1=(1−1, 4−2, 7−3)=(0,2,4).R_2-2R_1=(2-2,\ 5-4,\ 8-6)=(0,1,2),\qquad R_3-R_1=(1-1,\ 4-2,\ 7-3)=(0,2,4). The determinant becomes 3∣123012024∣.3\begin{vmatrix} 1 & 2 & 3 \\ 0 & 1 & 2 \\ 0 & 2 & 4 \end{vmatrix}.

Step 3 — proportional rows (Property 3). Row 3, (0,2,4)(0,2,4), is exactly 2×2\times row 2, (0,1,2)(0,1,2). Two proportional rows make the determinant 00, so the whole expression is 3×0=03\times 0 = 0. …

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