Compute the determinant of order n + 1 (n ≥ 2)

determinantlinear algebramatrices

Compute the following determinant of order $n + 1 (n \geq 2)$

$$
\left[\begin{matrix}
a_0 & a_1 & a_2& \cdots & a_{n-1} & a_n \\
-x & x & 0 &\cdots & 0 & 0\\
0 & -x & x &\cdots & 0 & 0 \\
\vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots &\vdots &\vdots\\
0 & 0 & 0 & \cdots & x & 0\\
\\ 0 & 0& 0& \cdots &-x & x
\end{matrix}\right]
$$

I will be honest I got myself completely lost. I can recall facts of how you are finding determinants and how to perform cofactor expansion and that if $A$ is a triangular matrix that $$det(A) = a_{1,1}\cdot a_{2,2}\dots a_{n-1,n-1}\cdot a_{n,n}$$ and etc..
And I can't think of the way I can relate these facts what I know to solve this. Primarily because I don't know how to approach it.

I will be very thankful if you could help me solve this.


My question was answered. But I have something to add. This is my only second time asking questions in this format on platforms like stack exchange and omg I am so amazed. This is literally so cool that people just like I did can ask a question they are stuck on and get a reply in like 15 minutes?? I now this was around for a while, but I have just discovered how cool it actually is.

Best Answer

Expansion with respect to the first row leads to $$a_0\cdot\left[\begin{matrix} x & 0 &\cdots & 0 & 0\\ -x & x &\cdots & 0 & 0 \\ \vdots & \vdots & \ddots &\vdots &\vdots\\ 0 & 0 & \cdots & x & 0\\ \\ 0& 0& \cdots &-x & x \end{matrix}\right] -a_1\cdot\left[\begin{matrix} -x & 0 &\cdots & 0 & 0\\ 0 & x &\cdots & 0 & 0 \\ \vdots & \vdots & \ddots &\vdots &\vdots\\ 0 & 0 & \cdots & x & 0\\ \\ 0 & 0& \cdots &-x & x \end{matrix}\right]+\dots+(-1)^na_n\cdot \left[\begin{matrix} -x & x & 0 &\cdots & 0\\ 0 & -x & x &\cdots & 0\\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots &\vdots \\ 0 & 0 & 0 & \cdots & x \\ \\ 0 & 0& 0& \cdots &-x \end{matrix}\right]$$ which equals $$\sum\limits_{i=0}^n (-1)^ix^n(-1)^ ia_i=x^n\cdot\sum\limits_{i=0}^n a_i,$$ because these are special tridiagonal matrices, where $c_{m-1}d_{m-1}=0$ in this reccurence relation.
Determinant of each of them is equal to the product of diagonal elements.
The first $i$ diagonal terms are $-x,$ all other equal $x.$