NCERT Solutions Class 12 Maths Chapter 4 Exercise 4.1 - Determinants

NCERT Solutions Class 12 Maths Chapter 4 Exercise 4.1 - Determinants

Upcoming Event

CBSE Class 12th Exam Date:17 Feb' 26 - 17 Feb' 26

Komal MiglaniUpdated on 09 May 2025, 11:48 AM IST

Suppose your friend told you that the following $ 2 \times 2$ matrix is given:$\left[\begin{array}{ll} 2 & 3 \\ 4 & 5\end{array}\right] $ and asked you to find its determinant. How would you approach this problem? This is where the concept of determinants comes in. Determinants provide a systematic way to find a scalar value from a square matrix, which is crucial in solving systems of equations, finding the area, and understanding matrix properties. The first exercise of this chapter of the NCERT book is based on the basics of determinants and calculating determinants of different orders of square matrices. NCERT Class 12 Maths Chapter 4 - Determinants, Exercise 4.1 introduces us to the basic idea of determinants and how to evaluate them. This article on the NCERT Solutions for Exercise 4.1 Class 12 Maths Chapter 4 offers clear and step-by-step solutions for the exercise problems to help the students understand the method and logic behind it. For syllabus, notes, and PDF, refer to this link: NCERT.

Class 12 Maths Chapter 4 Exercise 4.1 Solutions: Download PDF

Download PDF

Determinants Exercise:4.1

Question:1 Evaluate the following determinant- $\begin{vmatrix} 2 & 4\\ -5 & -1\end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

The determinant is evaluated as follows

$\begin{vmatrix} 2 & 4\\ -5 & -1\end{vmatrix} = 2(-1) - 4(-5) = -2 + 20 = 18$

Question:2(i) Evaluate the following determinant- $\begin{vmatrix} \cos \theta & -\sin \theta \\ \sin \theta &\cos \theta \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

The given two by two determinant is calculated as follows

$\begin{vmatrix} \cos \theta & -\sin \theta \\ \sin \theta & \cos \theta \end{vmatrix} = \cos \theta (\cos \theta) - (-\sin \theta)\sin \theta = \cos^2 \theta + \sin^2 \theta = 1$

Question:2(ii) Evaluate the following determinant- $\begin{vmatrix}x^2-x+1 & x-1\\x+1 &x+1 \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

We have determinant $\begin{vmatrix}x^2-x+1 & x-1\\x+1 &x+1 \end{vmatrix}$

$\begin{vmatrix} x^2 - x + 1 & x - 1 \\ x + 1 & x + 1 \end{vmatrix} = (x^2 - x + 1)(x + 1) - (x - 1)(x + 1)$

$= (x+1)(x^2-x+1-x+1) = (x+1)(x^2-2x+2)$

$=x^3-2x^2+2x +x^2-2x+2$

$= x^3-x^2+2$

Question:3 If $A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2\\ 4 &2 \end{bmatrix}$ , then show that $| 2 A |=4|A|$

Answer:

Given determinant $A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2\\ 4 &2 \end{bmatrix}$ then we have to show that $| 2 A |=4|A|$,

So, $A = \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2\\ 4 &2 \end{bmatrix}$ then, $2A =2 \begin{bmatrix} 1 & 2\\ 4 &2 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 2 & 4\\ 8 &4 \end{bmatrix}$

Hence we have $\left | 2A \right | = \begin{vmatrix} 2 &4 \\ 8& 4 \end{vmatrix} = 2(4) - 4(8) = -24$

So, L.H.S. = |2A| = -24

then calculating R.H.S. $4\left | A \right |$

We have,

$\left | A \right | = \begin{vmatrix} 1 &2 \\ 4& 2 \end{vmatrix} = 1(2) - 2(4) = -6$

hence R.H.S becomes $4\left | A \right | = 4\times(-6) = -24$

Therefore L.H.S. =R.H.S.

Hence proved.

Question:4 If $A =\begin{bmatrix} 1 &0 &1 \\ 0& 1& 2\\ 0& 0 &4 \end{bmatrix}$ then show that $|3A|=27|A|$

Answer:

Given Matrix$A =\begin{bmatrix} 1 &0 &1 \\ 0& 1& 2\\ 0& 0 &4 \end{bmatrix}$

Calculating $3A =3\begin{bmatrix} 1 &0 &1 \\ 0& 1& 2\\ 0& 0 &4 \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 3 &0 &3 \\ 0& 3& 6\\ 0& 0 &12 \end{bmatrix}$

So, $\left | 3A \right | = 3(3(12) - 6(0) ) - 0(0(12)-0(6)) + 3(0-0) = 3(36) = 108$

calculating $27|A|$,

$|A| = \begin{vmatrix} 1 & 0 &1 \\ 0 & 1 & 2\\ 0& 0 &4 \end{vmatrix} = 1\begin{vmatrix} 1 &2 \\ 0 & 4 \end{vmatrix} - 0\begin{vmatrix} 0 &2 \\ 0& 4 \end{vmatrix} + 1\begin{vmatrix} 0 &1 \\ 0& 0 \end{vmatrix} = 4 -0 + 0 = 4$

So, $27|A| = 27(4) = 108$

Therefore $|3A|=27|A|$.

Hence proved.

Question:5(i) Evaluate the determinants.

$\begin{vmatrix}3 &-1 &-2 \\0 &0 &-1 \\3 &-5 & 0 \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

Given the determinant $\begin{vmatrix}3 &-1 &-2 \\0 &0 &-1 \\3 &-5 & 0 \end{vmatrix}$;

now, calculating its determinant value,

$\begin{vmatrix}3 &-1 &-2 \\0 &0 &-1 \\3 &-5 & 0 \end{vmatrix} = 3\begin{vmatrix} 0 &-1 \\ -5& 0 \end{vmatrix} -(-1)\begin{vmatrix} 0 &-1 \\ 3& 0 \end{vmatrix} +(-2)\begin{vmatrix} 0 &0 \\ 3& -5 \end{vmatrix}$

$= 3(0-5)+1(0+3) -2(0-0) = -15+3-0 = -12$.

Question:5(ii) Evaluate the determinants.

$\begin{vmatrix}3 &-4 &5 \\1 &1 &-2 \\2 &3 &1 \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

Given determinant $\begin{vmatrix}3 &-4 &5 \\1 &1 &-2 \\2 &3 &1 \end{vmatrix}$;

Now calculating the determinant value;

$\begin{vmatrix}3 &-4 &5 \\1 &1 &-2 \\2 &3 &1 \end{vmatrix} = 3\begin{vmatrix} 1 &-2 \\ 3&1 \end{vmatrix} -(-4)\begin{vmatrix} 1 &-2 \\ 2& 1 \end{vmatrix}+5\begin{vmatrix} 1 & 1\\ 2& 3 \end{vmatrix}$

$= 3(1+6) +4(1+4) +5(3-2) = 21+20+5 = 46$.

Question:5(iii) Evaluate the determinants.

$\begin{vmatrix}0 & 1 & 2\\-1 &0 &-3 \\ -2 &3 &0 \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

Given determinant $\begin{vmatrix}0 & 1 & 2\\-1 &0 &-3 \\ -2 &3 &0 \end{vmatrix}$;

Now calculating the determinant value;

$\begin{vmatrix}0 & 1 & 2\\-1 &0 &-3 \\ -2 &3 &0 \end{vmatrix} = 0\begin{vmatrix} 0 &-1 \\ 3& 0 \end{vmatrix} -1\begin{vmatrix} -1 &-3 \\ -2& 0 \end{vmatrix}+2\begin{vmatrix} -1 &0 \\ -2& 3 \end{vmatrix}$

$= 0 - 1(0-6)+2(-3-0) = 6 -6 =0$

Question:5(iv) Evaluate the determinants.

$\begin{vmatrix}2 &-1 &2 \\0 &2 &-1 \\3 &-5 &0 \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

Given determinant: $\begin{vmatrix}2 &-1 &-2 \\0 &2 &-1 \\3 &-5 &0 \end{vmatrix}$,

We now calculate determinant value:

$\begin{vmatrix}2 &-1 &-2 \\0 &2 &-1 \\3 &-5 &0 \end{vmatrix} =2\begin{vmatrix} 2 &-1 \\ -5 & 0 \end{vmatrix} -(-1)\begin{vmatrix} 0 &-1 \\ 3 & 0 \end{vmatrix}+(-2)\begin{vmatrix} 0 &2 \\ 3&-5 \end{vmatrix}$

$=2(0-5)+1(0+3)-2(0-6) = -10+3+12 = 5$

Question:6 If $A=\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & -2\\ 2& 1 &-3 \\5 &4 &-9 \end{bmatrix}$ , then find $|A|$.

Answer:

Given the matrix $A=\begin{bmatrix}1 & 1 & -2\\ 2& 1 &-3 \\5 &4 &-9 \end{bmatrix}$ then,

Finding the determinant value of A;

$|A| = 1\begin{vmatrix} 1 &-3 \\ 4& -9 \end{vmatrix} -1\begin{vmatrix} 2 &-3 \\ 5& -9 \end{vmatrix}-2\begin{vmatrix} 2 &1 \\ 5& 4 \end{vmatrix}$

$= 1(-9+12)-1(-18+15)-2(8-5) =3+3-6 =0$

Question:7(i) Find values of x, if

$\begin{vmatrix}2 &4 \\5 &1 \end{vmatrix} =\begin{vmatrix}2x &4 \\6 &x \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

Given that $\begin{vmatrix}2 &4 \\5 &1 \end{vmatrix} =\begin{vmatrix}2x &4 \\6 &x \end{vmatrix}$

First, we solve the determinant value of L.H.S. and equate it to the determinant value of R.H.S.,

$\begin{vmatrix} 2 & 4 \\ 5 & 1 \end{vmatrix} = 2(1) - 4(5) = 2 - 20 = -18$ and $\begin{vmatrix} 2x & 4 \\ 6 & x \end{vmatrix} = 2x(x) - 4(6) = 2x^2 - 24$

So, we have then,

$-18= 2x^2-24$ or $3= x^2$ or $x= \pm \sqrt{3}$

Question:7(ii) Find values of x, if

$\begin{vmatrix}2 &3 \\ 4 &5 \end{vmatrix}=\begin{vmatrix}x &3 \\2x &5 \end{vmatrix}$

Answer:

Given $\begin{vmatrix}2 &3 \\ 4 &5 \end{vmatrix}=\begin{vmatrix}x &3 \\2x &5 \end{vmatrix}$;

So, we here equate both sides after calculating each side's determinant values.

L.H.S. determinant value;

$\begin{vmatrix} 2 & 3 \\ 4 & 5 \end{vmatrix} = 2(5) - 3(4) = 10 - 12 = -2$

Similarly R.H.S. determinant value;

$\begin{vmatrix}x &3 \\2x &5 \end{vmatrix} = 5(x) - 3(2x) = 5x - 6x =-x$

So, we have then;

$-2 = -x$ or $x =2$.

Question:8 If $\begin{vmatrix}x &2 \\18 &x \end{vmatrix}=\begin{vmatrix} 6 &2 \\ 18 &6 \end{vmatrix}$ , then $x$ is equal to

(A) $6$ (B) $\pm 6$ (C) $-6$ (D) $0$

Answer:

Solving the L.H.S. determinant ;

$\begin{vmatrix} x & 2 \\ 18 & x \end{vmatrix} = x(x) - 2(18) = x^2 - 36$

and solving R.H.S determinant;

$\begin{vmatrix} 6 &2 \\ 18 &6 \end{vmatrix} = 36-36 = 0$

So equating both sides;

$x^2 - 36 =0$ or $x^2 = 36$ or $x = \pm 6$

Hence answer is (B).


Also read,

Topics covered in Chapter 4, Determinants: Exercise 4.1

Here are the main topics covered in NCERT Class 12 Chapter 4, Determinants: Exercise 4.1.

1. Definition:

We know that multiplication and addition are basic operations in matrices. In determinants, we evaluate a scalar value from a square matrix using specific rules. For example, for a $2 \times 2$ matrix

$ \left[\begin{array}{ll} a & b \\ c & d \end{array}\right], \quad \text { the determinant is given by } a d-b c $

2. Determinant of a $\mathbf{2 \times 2}$ Matrix: Let the matrix $A$ be defined as:

$A=\left[\begin{array}{ll}a_{11} & a_{12} \\ a_{21} & a_{22}\end{array}\right]$

To evaluate the determinant of a $2 \times 2$ matrix, use the formula:

$ \operatorname{det}(A)=a_{11} a_{22}-a_{12} a_{21} $

3. Determinant of a $\mathbf{3 \times 3}$ Matrix:

For $3 \times 3$ matrices, the determinant is calculated using expansion by minors.

$ \left|\begin{array}{lll} a & b & c \\ d & e & f \\ g & h & i \end{array}\right|=a(e i-f h)-b(d i-f g)+c(d h-e g) $

Also, read,

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: what is determinant ?
A:

The determinant is a scalar value of a square matrix which characterize some properties of the matrix.

Q: If square matrix A is order of 2 then | 2A | = ?
A:

|2A| = 2^2 = 4 | A |

Q: How many exercises are there in Class 12 Maths chapter 4 ?
A:

There are 6 exercises and one miscellaneous exercise given in the NCERT textbook Class 12 Maths chapter 4.

Q: Does CBSE provides NCERT solutions for Class 12 Maths chapter 4?
A:

No, CBSE doesn't provide NCERT solutions, you can get NCERT solutions for chapter 4 Class 12 Maths.

Q: What is the determinant of a singular matrix ?
A:

The determinant of a singular matrix is always zero.

Q: What is non-singular matrix?
A:

A matrix that is not singular is called a non-singular matrix. The determinant of a non-singular matrix is non-zero.  

Q: What is syllabus for CBSE Class 12 Maths ?
Q: how many chapters are there in NCERT Class 12 Maths syllabus?
A:

There are 13 chapters in the NCERT Class 12 Maths book.

Articles
|
Upcoming School Exams
Ongoing Dates
Maharashtra SSC Board Application Date

1 Aug'25 - 31 Oct'25 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
Maharashtra HSC Board Application Date

1 Aug'25 - 31 Oct'25 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
Assam HSLC Application Date

1 Sep'25 - 21 Oct'25 (Online)

Certifications By Top Providers
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to CBSE Class 12th

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CBSE Class 12th ?

Hello,

The date of 12 exam is depends on which board you belongs to . You should check the exact date of your exam by visiting the official website of your respective board.

Hope this information is useful to you.

Hello,

Class 12 biology questions papers 2023-2025 are available on cbseacademic.nic.in , and other educational website. You can download PDFs of questions papers with solution for practice. For state boards, visit the official board site or trusted education portal.

Hope this information is useful to you.

Hello Pruthvi,

Taking a drop year to reappear for the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) is a well-defined process. As a repeater, you are fully eligible to take the exam again to improve your score and secure a better rank for admissions.

The main procedure involves submitting a new application for the KCET through the official Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) website when registrations open for the next academic session. You must pay the required application fee and complete all formalities just like any other candidate. A significant advantage for you is that you do not need to retake your 12th board exams. Your previously secured board marks in the qualifying subjects will be used again. Your new KCET rank will be calculated by combining these existing board marks with your new score from the KCET exam. Therefore, your entire focus during this year should be on preparing thoroughly for the KCET to achieve a higher score.

For more details about the KCET Exam preparation, CLICK HERE.

I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries, feel free to share your questions with us, and we will be happy to assist you.

Thank you, and I wish you all the best in your bright future.

Yes, you can switch from Science in Karnataka State Board to Commerce in CBSE for 12th. You will need a Transfer Certificate from your current school and meet the CBSE school’s admission requirements. Since you haven’t studied Commerce subjects like Accountancy, Economics, and Business Studies, you may need to catch up before or during 12th. Not all CBSE schools accept direct admission to 12th from another board, so some may ask you to join Class 11 first. Make sure to check the school’s rules and plan your subject preparation.



Hello

For the 12th CBSE Hindi Medium board exam, important questions usually come from core chapters like “Madhushala”, “Jhansi ki Rani”, and “Bharat ki Khoj”.
Questions often include essay writing, letter writing, and comprehension passages. Grammar topics like Tenses, Voice Change, and Direct-Indirect Speech are frequently asked.
Students should practice poetry questions on themes and meanings. Important questions also cover summary writing and translation from Hindi to English or vice versa.
Previous years’ question papers help identify commonly asked questions.
Focus on writing practice to improve handwriting and presentation. Time management during exams is key to answering all questions effectively.