If A, B and C are angles of a triangle, then the determinant | ccc -1&cosc&cosb cosc&-1&cosa cosb&cosa&-1 | is equal to


We have,

Expanding along C1, we get




= [(-1){1 – cos2A} – cos C{-cos C – cos Acos B} + cos B{cos A cos C + cos B}]


= -1 + cos2A + cos2C + cos A cos B cos C + cos A cos B cos C + cos2B


= -1 + cos2A + cos2B + cos2C + 2cos A cos B cos C


Here, we use formula


1 + cos2A = 2cos2A



Taking L.C.M, we get




Now, we use the formula:


cos(A + B) cos(A – B) = 2cos Acos B


so, cos2A + cos2B = 2 cos(A + B) cos(A – B)




…(i)


Since, A, B and C are the angles of a triangle and we know that the sum of the angles of a triangle = 180° or π


A + B + C = π


A + B = π – C


Putting the value of (A+B) in eq. (i), we get



[ cos(π – x) = -cos X]



= -cos C{cos(A – B) – cos C} + 2cos Acos Bcos C


= -cos C[cos(A – B) – cos{π – (A + B)}] + 2cos Acos Bcos C


= -cos C[cos(A – B) + cos(A + B)] + + 2cos Acos Bcos C


= -cos C[2cos Acos B] + 2cos Acos Bcos C


= 0

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