Question
Without expanding, show that the values of the following determinant are zero:
$\begin{vmatrix}\text{a}&\text{b}&\text{c}\\\text{a}+2\text{x}&\text{b}+2\text{y}&\text{c}+2\text{z}\\\text{x}&\text{y}&\text{z}\\\end{vmatrix}$

Answer

$\triangle=\begin{vmatrix}\text{a}&\text{b}&\text{c}\\\text{a}+2\text{x}&\text{b}+2\text{y}&\text{c}+2\text{z}\\\text{x}&\text{y}&\text{z}\\\end{vmatrix}$
$=\begin{vmatrix}\text{a}+2\text{x}&\text{b}+2\text{y}&\text{c}+2\text{z}\\\text{a}+2\text{x}&\text{b}+2\text{y}&\text{c}+2\text{z}\\\text{x}&\text{y}&\text{z}\end{vmatrix}$ [Applying $R_1 \rightarrow R_1 + 2R_3]$
$=\begin{vmatrix}0&0&0\\\text{a}+2\text{x}&\text{b}+2\text{y}&\text{c}+2\text{z}\\\text{x}&\text{y}&\text{z}\end{vmatrix}=0$ [Applying $R_1 \rightarrow R_1 + R_2]$

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