An n × n determinant can be defined as follows: where each (n − 1) ×(n − 1) determinant is...

An n × n determinant can be defined as follows:

where each (n − 1) ×(n − 1) determinant is expanded using this same formula. Applying this procedure iteratively, we eventually reduce the n × n determinant to many 2 × 2 determinants, which we compute by Definition 1.7.2. Use this formula to calculate the following determinants:

(a)

---

(b)