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1 vote
1 answer
76 views

Determinant formula for a certain parametrized M-matrix

Let $P_{ij}$ be variables, and let $A \in \mathbb{R}^{n\times n}$ be the matrix defined by $$ A_{ij} = \begin{cases} -P_{ij} & i \neq j,\\ P_{i1} + P_{i2} + \dots + P_{in} & i=j. \end{cases} $$...
23 votes
2 answers
3k views

Formula expressing symmetric polynomials of eigenvalues as sum of determinants

The trace of a matrix is the sum of the eigenvalues and the determinant is the product of the eigenvalues. The fundamental theorem of symmetric polynomials says that we can write any symmetric ...
0 votes
1 answer
525 views

What is the mathematician's definition of the determinant? [closed]

I am trying really hard to find a good definition of the determinant. I have looked virtually every single resource online and everybody gives a different answer: sum of cofactors or minors https://...
4 votes
0 answers
181 views

Fuss-Catalan: how does equality of these determinants hold?

There are many ways that the Catalan numbers seemed to have been generalized, one among them is through what Graham-Knuth-Patashnik (in Concrete Mathematics) dubbed as the Fuss-Catalan numbers $\frac1{...
5 votes
0 answers
190 views

Yet, another generalization of Catalan determinants

The discussion on this page is motivated by Johann Cigler's MO question. My intention arose from a possible generalization of Cigler's matrix $$A_{n,m}=\left( \binom{2m}{j-i+m}-\binom{2m}{m-i-j-1} \...
0 votes
1 answer
129 views

A variant of numeric Vandermonde which failed symbolically?

Given some variables $x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n$, the Vandermonde determinant is given by $$V_n(x_1,\dots,x_n):=\det(x_j^{i-1})_{i,j=1}^n=\prod_{i<j}(x_j-x_i).$$ One can take as special cases: $x_j=j$ ...
3 votes
0 answers
185 views

"Circulant-Vandermonde" matrix: in search of a formula

An $n\times n$ circulant matrix $\mathbf{X}_n$ has the form \begin{align} \mathbf{X}_n= \begin{bmatrix} x_1 & x_2 & \cdots & x_{n-1} & x_n \\ x_2 & x_3 & \cdots & x_n&...
6 votes
0 answers
392 views

Divisibility properties of minors of matrices

Let $A$ be an $m\times n$ matrix with integer entries. Let $d_i(A)$ be the greatest common divisor of all $i\times i$ minors of $A$, and define $d_0(A)=1$. Whenever $i\leq j$, one has that $d_i(A)$ ...
3 votes
0 answers
207 views

On a variation of the Vandermonde matrix

The ubiquitous Vandermonde matrix, of entries $(x_i^{j-1})_{i,j}^{1,n}$, and its determinant $$\prod_{i<j}^{1,n}(x_j-x_i)$$ have found many utilities in Combinatorics and Physics, among other ...
4 votes
3 answers
369 views

Determinant in terms of certain $2\times 2$ minors

Let $A$ be an $n\times n$ matrix with entries $a_{i,j}$. Define an $(n-1)\times(n-1)$ matrix $B$ with entries $b_{i,j}=a_{1,1}a_{i+1,j+1}-a_{1,j+1}a_{i+1,1}$. Then $\det(B)=a_{1,1}^{n-2}\det(A)$. I ...
2 votes
0 answers
131 views

Pfaffian generalization

The identity $$\left| \begin{array}{cccc} x & y_1 & y_2 & y_3 \\ z_1 & 0 & a & b \\ z_2 & -a & 0 & c \\ z_3 & -b & -c & 0 \\ \end{array} \right|=\...
1 vote
1 answer
254 views

When does $\det \begin{pmatrix} A & X \\ X^T & A \end{pmatrix} = (\det A)^2 + (\det X)^2$?

Let $A$ be an $n \times n$ real symmetric matrix. Let $$ M = \begin{pmatrix} A & X \\ X^T & A \end{pmatrix} $$ where $X$ is a real invertible $n \times n$ matrix. I am interested in finding ...
1 vote
0 answers
159 views

Non-trivial ways for generating matrices $A$ for which $A + A^T$ is positive-definite?

Disclaimer: This might be an SE question, but I'm not quite sure... Thanks in advance! Setup So, it is known (see Proposition 5.2) that if $A + A^T$ is positive-definite then $A$ must be a $P$-...
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Determinant of correlation matrix of autoregressive model

I wonder if there is a paper that can point out how to compute the determinant of a $d \times d$ autoregressive correlation matrix of the form $$R = \begin{pmatrix} 1 & r & \cdots & r^{d-...
1 vote
0 answers
148 views

Traces in associative algebras

Are there some books or papers about the general definition of traces: If $\mathscr{A}$ is an associative algebra over $K$ then the space of traces is the set of all linear functionals $\tau:\mathscr{...
0 votes
0 answers
283 views

A symmetric matrix with nonzero principal minors is cogredient to a diagonal matrix via an upper triangular

A paper I'm reading in representation theory states the following result: Let $F$ be a field of characteristic zero, and $x$ a symmetric matrix in $M_n(F)$ all of whose principal minors are not zero. ...
3 votes
0 answers
105 views

Can one do better than using general purpose determinant algorithms when using the Fisher-Kasteleyn-Temperley method for perfect matchings?

Questions. (numerical.generalPfaffian) Is it proved anywhere that in general it is not easier0 to calculate the determinant (over $\mathbb{Q}$) of the skew-symmetric signed adjacency matrix defined ...
2 votes
1 answer
325 views

Determinant and inverse of a "stars and stripes" matrix

This is a variant of another MO question. Consider the matrix $$M_n:=\begin{bmatrix}c_1& a & b&a& \ddots & a \\ b & c_2 & a& b&\ddots & b\\ a & b & c_3&...
11 votes
3 answers
918 views

yet another determinant and inverse of a matrix

This problem is some variation of another MO question. Consider the matrix $$M_n:=\begin{bmatrix}-c& a & a& \dots & a \\ b & c & a& \ddots & a\\ b & b & -c &...
10 votes
1 answer
520 views

Homogeneous polynomials, mixed determinants, positive definiteness

Are there $n\times n$ real matrices $A_{1}, \ldots, A_{n}$ such that the $n$-homogeneous polynomial $$ f(x_{1}, \ldots, x_{n}) = \det(x_{1} A_{1}+\cdots +x_{n} A_{n}) $$ never vanishes on $\...
3 votes
0 answers
130 views

Where does this identity involving sums of Hankel-like determinants over partitions come from?

For a partition $\lambda=( \lambda_1,\dots,\lambda_n)\vdash n$ with $\lambda_1\ge\dots\ge\lambda_n\ge0$ and any function $f:\mathbb Z\to\mathbb C$, define a Hankel-like $n\times n$ matrix $$M_f(\...
2 votes
2 answers
3k views

Statement of Lagrange's theorem on determinants(elementary question).

Apologies for this elementary question; but I was unable to find a reference otherwise. Let $A, B, C$ be square matrices of the same dimension. Then, $$\begin{vmatrix} A & C \\\ 0 & B \end{...