How do you find the determinant of #|(-6,5),(0,-8)|#?

1 Answer
Dec 13, 2016

#abs((-6,5),(0,-8)) = 48#

Explanation:

The determinant of a #2xx2# square matrix is given by the formula:

#abs((a,b),(c,d)) = ad-bc#

So in our example:

#abs((-6,5),(0,-8)) = (-6)(-8)-(5)(0) = 48-0 = 48#

More generally, if #M# is any upper or lower triangular matrix, then its determinant is the product of the main diagonal.

So we could have just written:

#abs((-6,5),(0,-8)) = (-6)(-8) = 48#