Determine all real $x$ that satisfy $det A=0$ [duplicate]

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  • Determinant of a specially structured matrix ($a$'s on the diagonal, all other entries equal to $b$)

    8 answers



I want to find all real $x$ that satisfy



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x &2 &2 &2\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



My teacher does this by adding the three bottom rows to the top row



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x+6 &x+6 &x+6 &x+6\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



and then subtracting a row of $2$'s from the bottom three rows



$$
textrmdet X=
(x+6)
beginvmatrix
1 &1 &1 &1\
0 &x-2 &0 &0\
0 &0 &x-2 &0\
0 &0 &0 &x-2
endvmatrix.
$$



The answer is



$$
xin -6,2.
$$



I think I understand the operations (although subtracting an arbitrary row of numbers from a matrix/determinant row is something I've never seen before, but I don't see why that wouldn't be allowed. Just like you can subtract arbitrary coefficients on both sides of an equation, right?), my main issue is why they are performed.



  • Why can't I just in the same way subtract a row of $2$'s from the three bottom rows in the first determinant? If I do that I get a different answer.

  • I know I want a column of all zeroes except one column-element, but why do I need to perform the first operation beforehand? Is it somehow necessary that all the top row elements to be the same, $(x+6)$?






share|cite|improve this question











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Jul 25 at 18:17


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  • 5




    then subtracting a row of 2's from the bottom three rows That's misstated. What actually happens is that you pull out the factor $(x+6)$, first, then subtract the first row (which is all $1$s now) multiplied by $2$ from the other rows.
    – dxiv
    Jul 24 at 17:36











  • Huh, then maybe that's it. But shouldn't that give me $2-2(x+6)$ as the elements that are supposed to become $0$? Edit: Saw your edit about the factorization. Ok, I'll have to think about that for a bit.
    – Chisq
    Jul 24 at 17:38















up vote
3
down vote

favorite













This question already has an answer here:



  • Determinant of a specially structured matrix ($a$'s on the diagonal, all other entries equal to $b$)

    8 answers



I want to find all real $x$ that satisfy



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x &2 &2 &2\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



My teacher does this by adding the three bottom rows to the top row



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x+6 &x+6 &x+6 &x+6\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



and then subtracting a row of $2$'s from the bottom three rows



$$
textrmdet X=
(x+6)
beginvmatrix
1 &1 &1 &1\
0 &x-2 &0 &0\
0 &0 &x-2 &0\
0 &0 &0 &x-2
endvmatrix.
$$



The answer is



$$
xin -6,2.
$$



I think I understand the operations (although subtracting an arbitrary row of numbers from a matrix/determinant row is something I've never seen before, but I don't see why that wouldn't be allowed. Just like you can subtract arbitrary coefficients on both sides of an equation, right?), my main issue is why they are performed.



  • Why can't I just in the same way subtract a row of $2$'s from the three bottom rows in the first determinant? If I do that I get a different answer.

  • I know I want a column of all zeroes except one column-element, but why do I need to perform the first operation beforehand? Is it somehow necessary that all the top row elements to be the same, $(x+6)$?






share|cite|improve this question











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  • 5




    then subtracting a row of 2's from the bottom three rows That's misstated. What actually happens is that you pull out the factor $(x+6)$, first, then subtract the first row (which is all $1$s now) multiplied by $2$ from the other rows.
    – dxiv
    Jul 24 at 17:36











  • Huh, then maybe that's it. But shouldn't that give me $2-2(x+6)$ as the elements that are supposed to become $0$? Edit: Saw your edit about the factorization. Ok, I'll have to think about that for a bit.
    – Chisq
    Jul 24 at 17:38













up vote
3
down vote

favorite









up vote
3
down vote

favorite












This question already has an answer here:



  • Determinant of a specially structured matrix ($a$'s on the diagonal, all other entries equal to $b$)

    8 answers



I want to find all real $x$ that satisfy



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x &2 &2 &2\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



My teacher does this by adding the three bottom rows to the top row



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x+6 &x+6 &x+6 &x+6\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



and then subtracting a row of $2$'s from the bottom three rows



$$
textrmdet X=
(x+6)
beginvmatrix
1 &1 &1 &1\
0 &x-2 &0 &0\
0 &0 &x-2 &0\
0 &0 &0 &x-2
endvmatrix.
$$



The answer is



$$
xin -6,2.
$$



I think I understand the operations (although subtracting an arbitrary row of numbers from a matrix/determinant row is something I've never seen before, but I don't see why that wouldn't be allowed. Just like you can subtract arbitrary coefficients on both sides of an equation, right?), my main issue is why they are performed.



  • Why can't I just in the same way subtract a row of $2$'s from the three bottom rows in the first determinant? If I do that I get a different answer.

  • I know I want a column of all zeroes except one column-element, but why do I need to perform the first operation beforehand? Is it somehow necessary that all the top row elements to be the same, $(x+6)$?






share|cite|improve this question












This question already has an answer here:



  • Determinant of a specially structured matrix ($a$'s on the diagonal, all other entries equal to $b$)

    8 answers



I want to find all real $x$ that satisfy



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x &2 &2 &2\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



My teacher does this by adding the three bottom rows to the top row



$$
textrmdet X=
beginvmatrix
x+6 &x+6 &x+6 &x+6\
2 &x &2 &2\
2 &2 &x &2\
2 &2 &2 &x
endvmatrix\
$$



and then subtracting a row of $2$'s from the bottom three rows



$$
textrmdet X=
(x+6)
beginvmatrix
1 &1 &1 &1\
0 &x-2 &0 &0\
0 &0 &x-2 &0\
0 &0 &0 &x-2
endvmatrix.
$$



The answer is



$$
xin -6,2.
$$



I think I understand the operations (although subtracting an arbitrary row of numbers from a matrix/determinant row is something I've never seen before, but I don't see why that wouldn't be allowed. Just like you can subtract arbitrary coefficients on both sides of an equation, right?), my main issue is why they are performed.



  • Why can't I just in the same way subtract a row of $2$'s from the three bottom rows in the first determinant? If I do that I get a different answer.

  • I know I want a column of all zeroes except one column-element, but why do I need to perform the first operation beforehand? Is it somehow necessary that all the top row elements to be the same, $(x+6)$?




This question already has an answer here:



  • Determinant of a specially structured matrix ($a$'s on the diagonal, all other entries equal to $b$)

    8 answers









share|cite|improve this question










share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question









asked Jul 24 at 17:33









Chisq

1025




1025




marked as duplicate by Rodrigo de Azevedo, Mostafa Ayaz, José Carlos Santos linear-algebra
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  • 5




    then subtracting a row of 2's from the bottom three rows That's misstated. What actually happens is that you pull out the factor $(x+6)$, first, then subtract the first row (which is all $1$s now) multiplied by $2$ from the other rows.
    – dxiv
    Jul 24 at 17:36











  • Huh, then maybe that's it. But shouldn't that give me $2-2(x+6)$ as the elements that are supposed to become $0$? Edit: Saw your edit about the factorization. Ok, I'll have to think about that for a bit.
    – Chisq
    Jul 24 at 17:38













  • 5




    then subtracting a row of 2's from the bottom three rows That's misstated. What actually happens is that you pull out the factor $(x+6)$, first, then subtract the first row (which is all $1$s now) multiplied by $2$ from the other rows.
    – dxiv
    Jul 24 at 17:36











  • Huh, then maybe that's it. But shouldn't that give me $2-2(x+6)$ as the elements that are supposed to become $0$? Edit: Saw your edit about the factorization. Ok, I'll have to think about that for a bit.
    – Chisq
    Jul 24 at 17:38








5




5




then subtracting a row of 2's from the bottom three rows That's misstated. What actually happens is that you pull out the factor $(x+6)$, first, then subtract the first row (which is all $1$s now) multiplied by $2$ from the other rows.
– dxiv
Jul 24 at 17:36





then subtracting a row of 2's from the bottom three rows That's misstated. What actually happens is that you pull out the factor $(x+6)$, first, then subtract the first row (which is all $1$s now) multiplied by $2$ from the other rows.
– dxiv
Jul 24 at 17:36













Huh, then maybe that's it. But shouldn't that give me $2-2(x+6)$ as the elements that are supposed to become $0$? Edit: Saw your edit about the factorization. Ok, I'll have to think about that for a bit.
– Chisq
Jul 24 at 17:38





Huh, then maybe that's it. But shouldn't that give me $2-2(x+6)$ as the elements that are supposed to become $0$? Edit: Saw your edit about the factorization. Ok, I'll have to think about that for a bit.
– Chisq
Jul 24 at 17:38











3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
0
down vote













I think you should give a look at gaussian elimination.



You can only do certain manipulation the the matrix without changing it's determinant (or at least only changing it's sing or by some scalar). This manipulations are as follows:



  1. Swap two rows multiplies the determinant by $-1$

  2. Multiplying a row by a non zero scalar $lambda$, multiplies the determinant as well by the same scalar

  3. Adding or subtracting multiples of one row to another leaves the determinant untouched

The algorithm for gaussian elimination goes something like this



  1. If the first row has first element zero than change it with some other row that has fist element not zero, if there aren't go to step 3

  2. Fore every row $A_i$, not counting the first, $(i
    gt 1)$ multiplay the first row by some coefficient so that the sum of the first row and the row $A_i$ has fist element zero. Substitute the $i$-th row with the sum just calculated

  3. Now every element of the fist column, except many for the first one, are zero. Now go to the sub-matrix obtained by eliminating the first row and column and repeat this steps on every submatrix.
    At the end of this you should have a triangular or diagonal matrix





share|cite|improve this answer




























    up vote
    0
    down vote













    Another way: the determinant is a fourth-degree polynomial $p(x)$ in variable $x$.



    It is easy to see that $p(2) = p(-6) = 0$, like you did.



    Then take the derivative:



    beginalign
    p'(x) &= beginvmatrix
    1 &2 &2 &2\
    0 &x &2 &2\
    0 &2 &x &2\
    0 &2 &2 &x
    endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
    x &0 &2 &2\
    2 &1 &2 &2\
    2 &0 &x &2\
    2 &0 &2 &x
    endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
    x &2 &0 &2\
    2 &x &0 &2\
    2 &2 &1 &2\
    2 &2 &0 &x
    endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
    x &2 &2 &0\
    2 &x &2 &0\
    2 &2 &x &0\
    2 &2 &2 &1
    endvmatrix \
    &=4 beginvmatrix
    x &2 &2\
    2 &x &2\
    2 &2 &x\
    endvmatrix \
    endalign



    Taking derivatives again we get $p''(x) = 4cdot 3 beginvmatrix
    x &2 \
    2 &x \
    endvmatrix$ so we can conclude that $p'(2) = p''(2) = 0$.



    Therefore $2$ is a root of $p$ with muliplicity $3$ so $$p(x) = (x-2)^3(x+6)$$



    Therefore the zeros are indeed only $-6$ and $2$.






    share|cite|improve this answer




























      up vote
      -1
      down vote













      "Subtracting a row of 2s" is NOT a valid matrix operation. But subtracting one row from another is. Perhaps what your teacher did (or meant to do) is, first subtract the third row from the second to get
      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 2 & 2 & x & 2 \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



      Now, subtract the fourth row from the third to get
      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



      Finally, you can subtract the first row from the fourth to get
      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2- x & 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$.



      That's almost an "upper triangular" matrix. We can calculate the determinant reasonably easily by "expanding on the first column:
      $xleft|beginarraycc x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$$- 2left|beginarraycc 2 & 2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x endarrayright|$.



      That first determinant is $x(x- 2)^3$. For the second we can further expand that three by three determinant on the first column to get $-2left(2left|beginarraycc2- x & 0 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|- (x- 2)left|beginarraycc2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|right)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(4- 2x- 2x+ 4)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(8- 4x)= -4(2- x)^2+ 4(2- x)^2= 0$.



      So the determinant of the given matrix is $x(x- 2)^3$.






      share|cite|improve this answer





















      • Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
        – Chisq
        Jul 24 at 18:30











      • I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
        – user247327
        Jul 24 at 18:36











      • @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
        – amd
        Jul 24 at 18:49










      • @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
        – Chisq
        Jul 24 at 18:49











      • @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
        – Chisq
        Jul 24 at 18:50

















      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

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      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

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      active

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      active

      oldest

      votes








      up vote
      0
      down vote













      I think you should give a look at gaussian elimination.



      You can only do certain manipulation the the matrix without changing it's determinant (or at least only changing it's sing or by some scalar). This manipulations are as follows:



      1. Swap two rows multiplies the determinant by $-1$

      2. Multiplying a row by a non zero scalar $lambda$, multiplies the determinant as well by the same scalar

      3. Adding or subtracting multiples of one row to another leaves the determinant untouched

      The algorithm for gaussian elimination goes something like this



      1. If the first row has first element zero than change it with some other row that has fist element not zero, if there aren't go to step 3

      2. Fore every row $A_i$, not counting the first, $(i
        gt 1)$ multiplay the first row by some coefficient so that the sum of the first row and the row $A_i$ has fist element zero. Substitute the $i$-th row with the sum just calculated

      3. Now every element of the fist column, except many for the first one, are zero. Now go to the sub-matrix obtained by eliminating the first row and column and repeat this steps on every submatrix.
        At the end of this you should have a triangular or diagonal matrix





      share|cite|improve this answer

























        up vote
        0
        down vote













        I think you should give a look at gaussian elimination.



        You can only do certain manipulation the the matrix without changing it's determinant (or at least only changing it's sing or by some scalar). This manipulations are as follows:



        1. Swap two rows multiplies the determinant by $-1$

        2. Multiplying a row by a non zero scalar $lambda$, multiplies the determinant as well by the same scalar

        3. Adding or subtracting multiples of one row to another leaves the determinant untouched

        The algorithm for gaussian elimination goes something like this



        1. If the first row has first element zero than change it with some other row that has fist element not zero, if there aren't go to step 3

        2. Fore every row $A_i$, not counting the first, $(i
          gt 1)$ multiplay the first row by some coefficient so that the sum of the first row and the row $A_i$ has fist element zero. Substitute the $i$-th row with the sum just calculated

        3. Now every element of the fist column, except many for the first one, are zero. Now go to the sub-matrix obtained by eliminating the first row and column and repeat this steps on every submatrix.
          At the end of this you should have a triangular or diagonal matrix





        share|cite|improve this answer























          up vote
          0
          down vote










          up vote
          0
          down vote









          I think you should give a look at gaussian elimination.



          You can only do certain manipulation the the matrix without changing it's determinant (or at least only changing it's sing or by some scalar). This manipulations are as follows:



          1. Swap two rows multiplies the determinant by $-1$

          2. Multiplying a row by a non zero scalar $lambda$, multiplies the determinant as well by the same scalar

          3. Adding or subtracting multiples of one row to another leaves the determinant untouched

          The algorithm for gaussian elimination goes something like this



          1. If the first row has first element zero than change it with some other row that has fist element not zero, if there aren't go to step 3

          2. Fore every row $A_i$, not counting the first, $(i
            gt 1)$ multiplay the first row by some coefficient so that the sum of the first row and the row $A_i$ has fist element zero. Substitute the $i$-th row with the sum just calculated

          3. Now every element of the fist column, except many for the first one, are zero. Now go to the sub-matrix obtained by eliminating the first row and column and repeat this steps on every submatrix.
            At the end of this you should have a triangular or diagonal matrix





          share|cite|improve this answer













          I think you should give a look at gaussian elimination.



          You can only do certain manipulation the the matrix without changing it's determinant (or at least only changing it's sing or by some scalar). This manipulations are as follows:



          1. Swap two rows multiplies the determinant by $-1$

          2. Multiplying a row by a non zero scalar $lambda$, multiplies the determinant as well by the same scalar

          3. Adding or subtracting multiples of one row to another leaves the determinant untouched

          The algorithm for gaussian elimination goes something like this



          1. If the first row has first element zero than change it with some other row that has fist element not zero, if there aren't go to step 3

          2. Fore every row $A_i$, not counting the first, $(i
            gt 1)$ multiplay the first row by some coefficient so that the sum of the first row and the row $A_i$ has fist element zero. Substitute the $i$-th row with the sum just calculated

          3. Now every element of the fist column, except many for the first one, are zero. Now go to the sub-matrix obtained by eliminating the first row and column and repeat this steps on every submatrix.
            At the end of this you should have a triangular or diagonal matrix






          share|cite|improve this answer













          share|cite|improve this answer



          share|cite|improve this answer











          answered Jul 24 at 17:53









          Davide Morgante

          1,751220




          1,751220




















              up vote
              0
              down vote













              Another way: the determinant is a fourth-degree polynomial $p(x)$ in variable $x$.



              It is easy to see that $p(2) = p(-6) = 0$, like you did.



              Then take the derivative:



              beginalign
              p'(x) &= beginvmatrix
              1 &2 &2 &2\
              0 &x &2 &2\
              0 &2 &x &2\
              0 &2 &2 &x
              endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
              x &0 &2 &2\
              2 &1 &2 &2\
              2 &0 &x &2\
              2 &0 &2 &x
              endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
              x &2 &0 &2\
              2 &x &0 &2\
              2 &2 &1 &2\
              2 &2 &0 &x
              endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
              x &2 &2 &0\
              2 &x &2 &0\
              2 &2 &x &0\
              2 &2 &2 &1
              endvmatrix \
              &=4 beginvmatrix
              x &2 &2\
              2 &x &2\
              2 &2 &x\
              endvmatrix \
              endalign



              Taking derivatives again we get $p''(x) = 4cdot 3 beginvmatrix
              x &2 \
              2 &x \
              endvmatrix$ so we can conclude that $p'(2) = p''(2) = 0$.



              Therefore $2$ is a root of $p$ with muliplicity $3$ so $$p(x) = (x-2)^3(x+6)$$



              Therefore the zeros are indeed only $-6$ and $2$.






              share|cite|improve this answer

























                up vote
                0
                down vote













                Another way: the determinant is a fourth-degree polynomial $p(x)$ in variable $x$.



                It is easy to see that $p(2) = p(-6) = 0$, like you did.



                Then take the derivative:



                beginalign
                p'(x) &= beginvmatrix
                1 &2 &2 &2\
                0 &x &2 &2\
                0 &2 &x &2\
                0 &2 &2 &x
                endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                x &0 &2 &2\
                2 &1 &2 &2\
                2 &0 &x &2\
                2 &0 &2 &x
                endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                x &2 &0 &2\
                2 &x &0 &2\
                2 &2 &1 &2\
                2 &2 &0 &x
                endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                x &2 &2 &0\
                2 &x &2 &0\
                2 &2 &x &0\
                2 &2 &2 &1
                endvmatrix \
                &=4 beginvmatrix
                x &2 &2\
                2 &x &2\
                2 &2 &x\
                endvmatrix \
                endalign



                Taking derivatives again we get $p''(x) = 4cdot 3 beginvmatrix
                x &2 \
                2 &x \
                endvmatrix$ so we can conclude that $p'(2) = p''(2) = 0$.



                Therefore $2$ is a root of $p$ with muliplicity $3$ so $$p(x) = (x-2)^3(x+6)$$



                Therefore the zeros are indeed only $-6$ and $2$.






                share|cite|improve this answer























                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote









                  Another way: the determinant is a fourth-degree polynomial $p(x)$ in variable $x$.



                  It is easy to see that $p(2) = p(-6) = 0$, like you did.



                  Then take the derivative:



                  beginalign
                  p'(x) &= beginvmatrix
                  1 &2 &2 &2\
                  0 &x &2 &2\
                  0 &2 &x &2\
                  0 &2 &2 &x
                  endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                  x &0 &2 &2\
                  2 &1 &2 &2\
                  2 &0 &x &2\
                  2 &0 &2 &x
                  endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                  x &2 &0 &2\
                  2 &x &0 &2\
                  2 &2 &1 &2\
                  2 &2 &0 &x
                  endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                  x &2 &2 &0\
                  2 &x &2 &0\
                  2 &2 &x &0\
                  2 &2 &2 &1
                  endvmatrix \
                  &=4 beginvmatrix
                  x &2 &2\
                  2 &x &2\
                  2 &2 &x\
                  endvmatrix \
                  endalign



                  Taking derivatives again we get $p''(x) = 4cdot 3 beginvmatrix
                  x &2 \
                  2 &x \
                  endvmatrix$ so we can conclude that $p'(2) = p''(2) = 0$.



                  Therefore $2$ is a root of $p$ with muliplicity $3$ so $$p(x) = (x-2)^3(x+6)$$



                  Therefore the zeros are indeed only $-6$ and $2$.






                  share|cite|improve this answer













                  Another way: the determinant is a fourth-degree polynomial $p(x)$ in variable $x$.



                  It is easy to see that $p(2) = p(-6) = 0$, like you did.



                  Then take the derivative:



                  beginalign
                  p'(x) &= beginvmatrix
                  1 &2 &2 &2\
                  0 &x &2 &2\
                  0 &2 &x &2\
                  0 &2 &2 &x
                  endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                  x &0 &2 &2\
                  2 &1 &2 &2\
                  2 &0 &x &2\
                  2 &0 &2 &x
                  endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                  x &2 &0 &2\
                  2 &x &0 &2\
                  2 &2 &1 &2\
                  2 &2 &0 &x
                  endvmatrix + beginvmatrix
                  x &2 &2 &0\
                  2 &x &2 &0\
                  2 &2 &x &0\
                  2 &2 &2 &1
                  endvmatrix \
                  &=4 beginvmatrix
                  x &2 &2\
                  2 &x &2\
                  2 &2 &x\
                  endvmatrix \
                  endalign



                  Taking derivatives again we get $p''(x) = 4cdot 3 beginvmatrix
                  x &2 \
                  2 &x \
                  endvmatrix$ so we can conclude that $p'(2) = p''(2) = 0$.



                  Therefore $2$ is a root of $p$ with muliplicity $3$ so $$p(x) = (x-2)^3(x+6)$$



                  Therefore the zeros are indeed only $-6$ and $2$.







                  share|cite|improve this answer













                  share|cite|improve this answer



                  share|cite|improve this answer











                  answered Jul 24 at 18:09









                  mechanodroid

                  22.2k52041




                  22.2k52041




















                      up vote
                      -1
                      down vote













                      "Subtracting a row of 2s" is NOT a valid matrix operation. But subtracting one row from another is. Perhaps what your teacher did (or meant to do) is, first subtract the third row from the second to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 2 & 2 & x & 2 \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Now, subtract the fourth row from the third to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Finally, you can subtract the first row from the fourth to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2- x & 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$.



                      That's almost an "upper triangular" matrix. We can calculate the determinant reasonably easily by "expanding on the first column:
                      $xleft|beginarraycc x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$$- 2left|beginarraycc 2 & 2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x endarrayright|$.



                      That first determinant is $x(x- 2)^3$. For the second we can further expand that three by three determinant on the first column to get $-2left(2left|beginarraycc2- x & 0 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|- (x- 2)left|beginarraycc2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|right)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(4- 2x- 2x+ 4)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(8- 4x)= -4(2- x)^2+ 4(2- x)^2= 0$.



                      So the determinant of the given matrix is $x(x- 2)^3$.






                      share|cite|improve this answer





















                      • Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:30











                      • I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
                        – user247327
                        Jul 24 at 18:36











                      • @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
                        – amd
                        Jul 24 at 18:49










                      • @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:49











                      • @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:50














                      up vote
                      -1
                      down vote













                      "Subtracting a row of 2s" is NOT a valid matrix operation. But subtracting one row from another is. Perhaps what your teacher did (or meant to do) is, first subtract the third row from the second to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 2 & 2 & x & 2 \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Now, subtract the fourth row from the third to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Finally, you can subtract the first row from the fourth to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2- x & 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$.



                      That's almost an "upper triangular" matrix. We can calculate the determinant reasonably easily by "expanding on the first column:
                      $xleft|beginarraycc x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$$- 2left|beginarraycc 2 & 2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x endarrayright|$.



                      That first determinant is $x(x- 2)^3$. For the second we can further expand that three by three determinant on the first column to get $-2left(2left|beginarraycc2- x & 0 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|- (x- 2)left|beginarraycc2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|right)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(4- 2x- 2x+ 4)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(8- 4x)= -4(2- x)^2+ 4(2- x)^2= 0$.



                      So the determinant of the given matrix is $x(x- 2)^3$.






                      share|cite|improve this answer





















                      • Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:30











                      • I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
                        – user247327
                        Jul 24 at 18:36











                      • @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
                        – amd
                        Jul 24 at 18:49










                      • @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:49











                      • @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:50












                      up vote
                      -1
                      down vote










                      up vote
                      -1
                      down vote









                      "Subtracting a row of 2s" is NOT a valid matrix operation. But subtracting one row from another is. Perhaps what your teacher did (or meant to do) is, first subtract the third row from the second to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 2 & 2 & x & 2 \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Now, subtract the fourth row from the third to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Finally, you can subtract the first row from the fourth to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2- x & 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$.



                      That's almost an "upper triangular" matrix. We can calculate the determinant reasonably easily by "expanding on the first column:
                      $xleft|beginarraycc x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$$- 2left|beginarraycc 2 & 2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x endarrayright|$.



                      That first determinant is $x(x- 2)^3$. For the second we can further expand that three by three determinant on the first column to get $-2left(2left|beginarraycc2- x & 0 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|- (x- 2)left|beginarraycc2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|right)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(4- 2x- 2x+ 4)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(8- 4x)= -4(2- x)^2+ 4(2- x)^2= 0$.



                      So the determinant of the given matrix is $x(x- 2)^3$.






                      share|cite|improve this answer













                      "Subtracting a row of 2s" is NOT a valid matrix operation. But subtracting one row from another is. Perhaps what your teacher did (or meant to do) is, first subtract the third row from the second to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 2 & 2 & x & 2 \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Now, subtract the fourth row from the third to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2 & 2 & 2 & x endarrayright|$.



                      Finally, you can subtract the first row from the fourth to get
                      $left|beginarrayccc x & 2 & 2 & 2 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 & 2-x \ 2- x & 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$.



                      That's almost an "upper triangular" matrix. We can calculate the determinant reasonably easily by "expanding on the first column:
                      $xleft|beginarraycc x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x \ 0 & 0 & x- 2 endarrayright|$$- 2left|beginarraycc 2 & 2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- x & 0 \ 0 & x- 2 & 2- x endarrayright|$.



                      That first determinant is $x(x- 2)^3$. For the second we can further expand that three by three determinant on the first column to get $-2left(2left|beginarraycc2- x & 0 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|- (x- 2)left|beginarraycc2 & 2 \ x- 2 & 2- xendarrayright|right)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(4- 2x- 2x+ 4)= -4(2- x)^2- (x- 2)(8- 4x)= -4(2- x)^2+ 4(2- x)^2= 0$.



                      So the determinant of the given matrix is $x(x- 2)^3$.







                      share|cite|improve this answer













                      share|cite|improve this answer



                      share|cite|improve this answer











                      answered Jul 24 at 18:26









                      user247327

                      9,6501515




                      9,6501515











                      • Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:30











                      • I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
                        – user247327
                        Jul 24 at 18:36











                      • @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
                        – amd
                        Jul 24 at 18:49










                      • @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:49











                      • @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:50
















                      • Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:30











                      • I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
                        – user247327
                        Jul 24 at 18:36











                      • @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
                        – amd
                        Jul 24 at 18:49










                      • @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:49











                      • @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
                        – Chisq
                        Jul 24 at 18:50















                      Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
                      – Chisq
                      Jul 24 at 18:30





                      Why is it not a valid matrix operation? If we ignore the determinant and just focus on the matrix itself, I subtract one row of coefficients of indpendent variables on the LHS and implicitly do the same on the RHS by subtracting the y. So if I subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients and do the same on the right hand side (explicitly subtracting the independent variable coefficients instead of implicitly, since I wouldn't know what coefficient to put in front of the y), why wouldn't that be allowed?
                      – Chisq
                      Jul 24 at 18:30













                      I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
                      – user247327
                      Jul 24 at 18:36





                      I don't know what you mean by "subtract 2 of all the independent variable coefficients". My comment was related to subtracting the number 2 from a row or column. For example, if the original matrix is $beginbmatrix 2 & 2 \ 1 & 3endbmatrix$ then the determinant is 2*3- 2*1= 4. But subtracting 2 from the first row gives $beginbmatrix0 & 0 \ 1 & 2 endbmatrix= 0$.
                      – user247327
                      Jul 24 at 18:36













                      @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
                      – amd
                      Jul 24 at 18:49




                      @Chisq I wouldn’t necessarily call it invalid, but in this context it’s useless. What relationship is there between the determinant of an arbitrary $2times2$ matrix $A$ and $A-beginbmatrix0&0\2&2endbmatrix$? You need to limit yourself to operations that have known effects on the determinant.
                      – amd
                      Jul 24 at 18:49












                      @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
                      – Chisq
                      Jul 24 at 18:49





                      @user247327 I mean, if we write a 3x3 matrix as a system of equations instead, then the numbers in the matrix will become the coefficients of the LHS variables (say $x_1$, $x_2$ $x_3$, the "independent" ones) Then I could subtract for example $2x_2$ from both LHS and RHS, without concerning myself about whether there is such a row that only contains $x_2$. But I think I figured out why the operation on a matrix wouldn't be allowed. It's because if we right out the whole matrix equation Ax=Iy, there are only y's on the RHS. Dunno if I'm confusing you but it's unimportant anyway. Thanks though.
                      – Chisq
                      Jul 24 at 18:49













                      @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
                      – Chisq
                      Jul 24 at 18:50




                      @amd Yea I see your point. Thanks.
                      – Chisq
                      Jul 24 at 18:50


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