Graphs and determinants

Abstract

I would like to present a method for calculating determinants based on the notion of a graph (or network), a notion that is familiar to many pupils taking a modern mathematics course. The method involves four steps: (i) drawing the graph of the matrix; (ii) identifying certain subgraphs called Δ subgraphs; (iii) associating a number called a weight to each of these subgraphs; (iv) adding the weights to obtain the determinant. Let us take each of these steps in turn.