📘 Maths Notes: Chapter 4 -
Determinants
(Class 12, NCERT - CBSE Board)
🔹 Chapter Title & Key Topics
Chapter 4: Determinants
This chapter explores determinants, their properties, calculation methods, and applications.
Key Topics Covered:
1. Definition and Order of a Determinant
2. Determinant of a 2×2 and 3×3 Matrix
3. Properties of Determinants
4. Minors and Cofactors
5. Adjoint of a Matrix
6. Inverse of a Matrix using Determinants
7. Applications of Determinants in Solving Linear Equations (Cramer's Rule)
🔹 Definitions & Theorems
1. Definition of a Determinant
A determinant is a scalar value associated with a square matrix.
It is denoted as ∣A∣ or det(A).
A determinant helps in finding the invertibility of a matrix and solving linear equations.
2. Determinant of a 2×2 Matrix
For a 2×2 matrix:
a b
A=[ ]
c d
The determinant is given by:
∣A∣ = ad − bc
3. Determinant of a 3×3 Matrix
For a 3×3 matrix:
a1 b1 c1
A = a2 b2 c2
a3 b3 c3
The determinant is given by the expansion along the first row:
b2 c2 a c2 a b2
∣A∣ = a1 − b1 2 + c1 2
b3 c3 a3 c3 a3 b3
4. Properties of Determinants
Property 1: Interchanging two rows (or columns) of a determinant changes its sign.
Property 2: If any two rows (or columns) are identical, the determinant is zero.
Property 3: If a row (or column) is multiplied by a scalar k , the determinant is also multiplied
by k .
Property 4: If a matrix has a row (or column) as all zeros, then its determinant is zero.
Property 5: If each element of a row (or column) is a sum of two terms, the determinant can be
split into the sum of two determinants.
Property 6: The determinant of a product of two matrices is equal to the product of their
determinants:
∣AB∣ = ∣A∣∣B∣
Property 7: The determinant of a triangular matrix (upper or lower) is the product of its
diagonal elements.
5. Minors and Cofactors
Minor of an element aij is the determinant of the submatrix obtained by deleting the ith row
and j th column.
Cofactor Cij is given by:
Cij = (−1)i+j Mij
where Mij is the minor of aij .
6. Adjoint of a Matrix
The adjoint of a matrix A is the transpose of the cofactor matrix:
Adj(A) = Cofactor(A)T
7. Inverse of a Matrix Using Determinants
A square matrix A is invertible if ∣A∣ = 0.
The inverse is given by:
Adj(A)
A−1 =
∣A∣
8. Cramer’s Rule (Solving Linear Equations using Determinants)
For a system of equations:
ax + by + cz = d
ex + f y + gz = h
ix + jy + kz = l
We define:
a b c
D= e f g
i j k
If D = 0, the solutions are:
Dx Dy Dz
x= , y= , z=
D D D
where Dx , Dy , Dz are determinants obtained by replacing the respective columns of D with the
column of constants.
🔹📌 Important Formulas Box
∣A∣ = a11 C11 + a12 C12 + a13 C13 (Expansion along first row)
Adj(A)
A−1 = , if ∣A∣ = 0
∣A∣
∣AB∣ = ∣A∣∣B∣
Dx Dy Dz
x= , y= , z= (Cramer’s Rule)
D D D
🔹📑 Practice Questions (with Hints)
2 3
1. Find the determinant of A =[ ] (Hint: Use determinant formula for 2×2 matrix)
4 5
1 2 3
2. Find the determinant of A = 4 5 6 (Hint: Expand along first row)
7 8 9
3. Prove that if two rows of a determinant are identical, its value is zero. (Hint: Use determinant
properties)
1 2
4. Verify whether the given matrix is invertible: A =[ ] (Hint: Compute determinant and
3 4
check if it is nonzero)
1 −2
5. Find the adjoint of A =[ ] (Hint: Compute cofactors and transpose them)
3 4
6. Solve the system of equations using Cramer's Rule x + y + z = 6 2x + 3y + 4z = 20 3x +
4y + 5z = 26
