Determinants Singular Matrices

Associated with each square matrix is a special number called the Determinant. The determinant gives
us information about the matrix and is a tool for solving systems of equations.

a b
Given matrix A    the determinant of matrix A, written as A or DetA is ad  bc .
c d 

If the determinant of a matrix is 0 (Zero) that is if ad  bc  0 the matrix is called SINGULR MATRIX. A
singular matrix is special in that it does not have an inverse; it also indicates that the system of
equations from which it is derived has no unique solutions.

Examples

 3 2   5 3c   6 3
P  M   W  
1 1  2 b   2 1
Example 1 P  3  1  1  2  Example 2. M  5  b  2  3c Example 3. W  6 1  3  2
P  3   2  M  5b  6c W  66
P 5 W 0

Example 3 above is a singular matrix since its determinant is 0

 2x 3
Example 4. Given that B   
 4 5

(a) Write the expression which represents B

(b) For what value of x is matrix B a singular matrix.

Solution

B  2x  5  3 4
(a)
B  10 x  12
(b) Matrix B is a singular matrix if the value of the determinant is 0. So we set the determinant = to
10 x  12  0
10 x  12  12  0  12
0 and solve 10 x  12
12
x
10

Example 5

 a 3
Given That T   
b 2

(a) Write an expression in a and b to represent the determinant of T

(b) Write down three pair of values for a and b that would cause matrix T to be singular.

a b T  a 2  b3
Solution
3 2 T  2a  3b
0 0
6 4
 Worksheet Determinants and Singular matrices

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

 1
3 2  8
1. Given that R    and T   2
5 1 
 4 1 

a. Calculate the determinant of R

b. Show that T  10

2. WRITE down the determinants of the following matrices

 sin  0
a. W   
 9 3 

2 b
b. X  
7 a

 x 2y
c. V  
 2 3x 

 1 3 
3. Show that the matrix B    is non-singular
2 7 

4 2
4. Given that N is the singular matrix   Find the value of k
3 k 

 3 5p
5. Z is the matrix  3
15 p 

a. Write down the determinant of Z

b. Calculate the values of p which make the matrix Z singular

3 b
6. Given that M   
1 a 

a. State the determinant of M

b. Create a pair of values of a and b such that M is singular

 2q 0
7. T is the matrix  
 p p

a. State the determinant of T

1
b. If q  and p  4 determine the numerical value of the determinant of T
2