The 2 dimensional determinant of a matrix can be interpreted as the area of a parallelogram as shown in the following diagram.
Numeric Example
[pmath] det (matrix{2}{2}{2 1 1 2}) = 2 * 2 – 1 * 1 = 3 [/pmath]
Compare that with the old fashioned area of two triangles that make up the parallelogram:
[pmath] Area Paralelogram = 2 * {1/2} * Base * Height [/pmath]
Using Pythagoras:
[pmath] Height = {3/sqrt{2}} [/pmath]
[pmath] Base = sqrt{2} [/pmath]
[pmath] Area Parallelogram = sqrt{2} * {3/sqrt{2}} = 3 [/pmath]
This carries on through higher dimensions. Below depicts a 3 variable system.
The rows r1, r2, r3 are vectors each. The various summations taken 1, 2 and 3 at a time define a parallelepiped.
The following excerpt is from X and may yield some insight when maximum entropy principle is applied. ( still working on this )
