Question
Without expanding, show that the values of the following determinant are zero:
$\begin{vmatrix}\frac{1}{\text{a}}&\text{a}^2&\text{bc}\\\frac{1}{\text{b}}&\text{b}^2&\text{ac}\\\frac{1}{\text{c}}&\text{c}^2&\text{ab} \end{vmatrix}$

Answer

$\triangle=\begin{vmatrix}\frac{1}{\text{a}}&\text{a}^2&\text{bc}\\\frac{1}{\text{b}}&\text{b}^2&\text{ac}\\\frac{1}{\text{c}}&\text{c}^2&\text{ab} \end{vmatrix}$
$=\begin{vmatrix}1&\text{a}^3&\text{abc}\\1&\text{b}^3&\text{abc}\\1&\text{c}^3&\text{abc}\end{vmatrix}$ [Applying R1 → aR1, R2 → bR2 and R3 → cR3]
$=\text{abc}\begin{vmatrix}1&\text{a}^3&1\\1&\text{b}^3&1\\1&\text{c}^3&1 \end{vmatrix}$
$\Rightarrow\triangle=0$

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