Lecture 4h The Determinant of A Product (Pages 270-1)
Lecture 4h The Determinant of A Product (Pages 270-1)
Lecture 4h The Determinant of A Product (Pages 270-1)
det(AB)
= det(E1 Ek B)
= (detE1 )(det(E2 Ek B))
=
= (detE1 )(detE2 ) (detEk )(detB)
= (det(E1 E2 ))(detE3 ) (detEk )(detB)
=
= (det(E1 Ek ))(detB)
= (detA)(detB)
Case 2A can not be written as a product of elementary matrices: Then the rank
of A is not n. Using the invertible matrix theorem, we get two facts. The first is
that A is not invertible, which means detA = 0, and thus that (detA)(detB) = 0.
The second is that the range of A (thinking of it as a linear mapping) is not Rn .
This means that there is some ~y Rn such that the equation A~z = ~y has no
solution. But this means that the equation A(B~x) = ~y cannot have a solution
(since if it did, B~x would be a ~z such that A~z = ~y ). And thus, (AB)~x = ~y does
not have a solution, so the range of AB is not Rn . And so, AB is not invertible,
and thus det(AB) = 0. But this means that det(AB) = 0 = (detA)(detB).
Note: The statement det(A + B) = det(A) + det(B) IS NOT TRUE.
5 0 1
2
4 2
2 , and B = 2 1 4 . Then:
Example: Let A = 0 5
6 3 6
0
8 4
7
4 2
0 5
0
6 , and
1 8 , and A + B = 2 4
And AB = 2
6 11
2
8 4
8
5
2
detA = (expanding along the first column) 2(1)1+1
+0+0 =
8 4
2(20 16) = 8
1+1 1 4
1+3 2 1
detB = (expanding along the first row) 5(1)
3 6 +0+(1)(1)
6 3
5(6 12) + (6 6) = 30
2 8
1+2
+0 =
det(AB) = (expanding along the first row) 0 + (5)(1)
8
8
5(16 64) = 240 = 8(30) = (detA)(detB).
1+1 4 6
1+2 2
det(A+B) = (expanding along the first row) 7(1)
11 2 +4(1)
6
2
4
= 7(8 66) 4(4 36) 2(22 + 24) = 518 + 128 92 =
2(1)1+3
6 11
482 6= 8 30.
2
6
2