Matrices & Determinants
Properties of determinants
Grade Class 12

Question:

The determinant <br> <math xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML'><mfenced open='|' close='|'><mtable><mtr><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><msup><mi>x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>x</mi><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>x</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>x</mi><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><msup><mi>y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>y</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>x</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>y</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd><mtd><msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><msup><mi>z</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup></mtd></mtr></mtable></mfenced></math> = k(x-y)^2(y-z)^2(z-x)^2, then k =
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept: The determinant can be expressed as the product of two matrices of the form A^T * A, where A is a Vandermonde-like matrix. Specifically, the given determinant is the square of the determinant of a matrix with entries (x_i*x_j + 1).
The given determinant can be written as the product of two matrices: <br> <math xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML'><mfenced open='|' close='|'><mtable><mtr><mtd><msup><mi>x</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mi>x</mi><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mi>x</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mi>x</mi><mi>y</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><msup><mi>y</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mi>y</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mi>x</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mi>y</mi><mi>z</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><msup><mi>z</mi><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mtd></mtr></mtable></mfenced><mo>=</mo><mfenced open='|' close='|'><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi>x</mi></mtd><mtd><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>0</mn></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mi>y</mi></mtd><mtd><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>0</mn></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mi>z</mi></mtd><mtd><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>0</mn></mtd></mtr></mtable></mfenced><mo>&#215;</mo><mfenced open='|' close='|'><mtable><mtr><mtd><mi>x</mi></mtd><mtd><mi>y</mi></mtd><mtd><mi>z</mi></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>1</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>1</mn></mtd></mtr><mtr><mtd><mn>0</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>0</mn></mtd><mtd><mn>0</mn></mtd></mtr></mtable></mfenced></math> (This is a simplified representation). By expanding or using properties, the determinant evaluates to 2(x-y)^2(y-z)^2(z-x)^2.
Correct Answer: 2

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