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IMC / 1997 / Problems / Day 2, P8

IMC 1997 · Day 2 · P8

Let MM be an invertible matrix of dimension 2n×2n2n \times 2n, represented in block form as M=[ABCD]andM1=[EFGH].M = \begin{bmatrix} A & B \\ C & D \end{bmatrix} \quad \text{and} \quad M^{-1} = \begin{bmatrix} E & F \\ G & H \end{bmatrix}. Show that detMdetH=detA\det M \cdot \det H = \det A.

Solution (official)

Let II denote the identity n×nn \times n matrix. Then detMdetH=det[ABCD]det[IF0H]=det[A0CI]=detA.\det M \cdot \det H = \det \begin{bmatrix} A & B \\ C & D \end{bmatrix} \cdot \det \begin{bmatrix} I & F \\ 0 & H \end{bmatrix} = \det \begin{bmatrix} A & 0 \\ C & I \end{bmatrix} = \det A.

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