- #1
PcumP_Ravenclaw
- 106
- 4
Homework Statement
2. Evaluate the determinants
## \begin{vmatrix}
1 & 1 & 1\\ x & a & b \\ x^2 & a^2 & b^2 \\
\end{vmatrix} ##
## \begin{vmatrix}
x & a & b \\ x^2 & a^2 & b^2 \\ x^3 & a^3 & b^3 \\
\end{vmatrix} ##
and factorize both answers.
Homework Equations
Rules of determinants are given in the attachment.
The Attempt at a Solution
Using the scalar triple product definition of the determinant I calculated the first determinant to be
## ab^2 - ba^2 + bx^2 - xb^2 + ax^2 - xa^2 ##
The second determinant is ## a^2b^3 - b^2a^3 + b^2x^3 - x^2b^3 + a^3x^2 - x^2a^3 ##
How do I factorize this? Are the two determinant values same. If so can you please show the rules are applied in the two matrices above. From linear combination I only understand that a scalar multiple of a row/column can be added to another row/column. How do they multiply different elements in each row. e.g.
The first row of first matrix becomes x a b.I thought it could only be x x x or a a a or b b b.
danke...