A brief historical introduction to determinants with applications

Abstract

If you wish to foresee the future of mathematics our proper course is to study the history and present condition of the science. Henri Poincaré This article deals with a short historical introduction to determinants with applications to the theory of equations, geometry, multiple integrals, differential equations and linear algebra. Included are some properties of determinants with proofs, eigenvalues, eigenvectors and characteristic equations with examples of applications to simple harmonic oscillations and eigenvalue problems.