Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Evaluate the determinant below by expanding along the first row, and give the cofactors and that you use.
C_{13} = +
$.
For order , . The minor is the determinant left after deleting row and column , and the cofactor is . The determinant is the sum of (entry times cofactor) along any row or column.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. The cofactors. and .
Step 2. The sum. .
Check. Expanding down column instead gives .
Answer: , and the determinant is .
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