# Determinant Properties

1. Aug 9, 2009

### iamthegelo

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Show without evaluating the determinant the equality.

2. Relevant equations

$\left( \begin{array}{ccc} 1 & a & bc \\ 1 & b & ac \\ 1 & c & ab \end{array} \right)$

=

$\left( \begin{array}{ccc} 1 & a & a^2 \\ 1 & b & b^2 \\ 1 & c & c^2 \end{array} \right)$

3. The attempt at a solution

I tried the facts of determinants - I did column 3 plus column 2. I can't see it. This is actually a Question on Boas 3rd Ed. Chapter 3 Section 3 No. 7.

Last edited: Aug 9, 2009
2. Aug 10, 2009

### Shooting Star

(The brackets that you are using is generally used for matrices; for a determinant, vertical lines are used to enclose it.)

Multiply the first row by 'a' and get 1/a outside. The 1st row becomes |a a^2 abc|. Now think what you can multiply the 2nd and 3rd rows with.

After that, take out something common from a column.

Then interchange columns or do a cyclic permutation on the columns, keeping track of the sign of the determinant. You will get the answer.

For any help, don't hesitate to ask.

3. Aug 10, 2009

### iamthegelo

Yeah, I actually just copied and pasted that from somewhere here that I searched for, sorry, I don't know LATEX. Thanks, I will try your suggestion.