MCQMediumJEE 2024Properties of Determinants

JEE Mathematics 2024 Question with Solution

If A=[2112]A = \begin{bmatrix} \sqrt{2} & 1 \\ -1 & \sqrt{2} \end{bmatrix}, B=[1001]B = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 \end{bmatrix}, C=ABATC = ABA^T, and X=ATC2AX = A^T C^2 A, then det(X)\det(X) is equal to:

  • A

    243243

  • B

    729729

  • C

    2727

  • D

    891891

Answer

Correct answer:B

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: A=[2112]A = \begin{bmatrix} \sqrt{2} & 1 \\ -1 & \sqrt{2} \end{bmatrix}, B=[1001]B = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 \end{bmatrix}, C=ABATC = ABA^T and X=ATC2AX = A^T C^2 A.

Find: det(X)\det(X).

First, compute

det(A)=(2)(2)(1)(1)=3\det(A) = (\sqrt{2})(\sqrt{2}) - (1)(-1) = 3

and

det(B)=1\det(B) = 1

Now, using C=ABATC = ABA^T,

det(C)=det(A)det(B)det(AT)\det(C) = \det(A)\det(B)\det(A^T)

Since det(AT)=det(A)\det(A^T) = \det(A),

det(C)=(det(A))2det(B)=321=9\det(C) = (\det(A))^2 \det(B) = 3^2 \cdot 1 = 9

Next, for X=ATC2AX = A^T C^2 A,

det(X)=det(AT)det(C2)det(A)\det(X) = \det(A^T)\det(C^2)\det(A)

Also, det(AT)=det(A)\det(A^T) = \det(A) and det(C2)=(det(C))2\det(C^2) = (\det(C))^2. Therefore,

det(X)=det(A)(det(C))2det(A)\det(X) = \det(A) \cdot (\det(C))^2 \cdot \det(A) =3923=729= 3 \cdot 9^2 \cdot 3 = 729

Therefore, the correct option is B and det(X)=729\det(X) = 729.

Determinant Property Expansion

Given: A=[2112]A = \begin{bmatrix} \sqrt{2} & 1 \\ -1 & \sqrt{2} \end{bmatrix}, B=[1001]B = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 \end{bmatrix}, C=ABATC = ABA^T and X=ATC2AX = A^T C^2 A.

Find: det(X)\det(X).

Use the determinant properties:

  • det(AB)=det(A)det(B)\det(AB) = \det(A)\det(B)
  • det(AT)=det(A)\det(A^T) = \det(A)
  • det(An)=(det(A))n\det(A^n) = (\det(A))^n

First,

det(A)=(2)(2)(1)(1)=2+1=3\det(A) = (\sqrt{2})(\sqrt{2}) - (1)(-1) = 2 + 1 = 3

For matrix BB,

det(B)=(1)(1)(0)(0)=1\det(B) = (1)(1) - (0)(0) = 1

Now,

C=ABATdet(C)=det(A)det(B)det(AT)C = ABA^T \Rightarrow \det(C) = \det(A)\det(B)\det(A^T)

So,

det(C)=313=9\det(C) = 3 \cdot 1 \cdot 3 = 9

Since X=ATC2AX = A^T C^2 A,

det(X)=det(AT)det(C2)det(A)\det(X) = \det(A^T)\det(C^2)\det(A) =det(A)(det(C))2det(A)= \det(A) \cdot (\det(C))^2 \cdot \det(A) =3923= 3 \cdot 9^2 \cdot 3 =3813=729= 3 \cdot 81 \cdot 3 = 729

Hence, det(X)=729\det(X) = 729. The correct option is B.

Common mistakes

  • A common mistake is to treat det(ABAT)\det(ABA^T) as det(A)+det(B)+det(AT)\det(A) + \det(B) + \det(A^T). This is wrong because determinants multiply over matrix products, they do not add. Use det(ABAT)=det(A)det(B)det(AT)\det(ABA^T) = \det(A)\det(B)\det(A^T) instead.

  • Students often forget that det(AT)=det(A)\det(A^T) = \det(A). Replacing it by a different value leads to an incorrect determinant of CC. Always use the property that transpose does not change the determinant.

  • Another mistake is writing det(C2)=2det(C)\det(C^2) = 2\det(C). This is incorrect because for powers of a matrix, determinants also get powered: det(C2)=(det(C))2\det(C^2) = (\det(C))^2.

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