Applications of matrices

Miliyon T.
October 7, 2013

Area using matrices

Theorem 1.1. Given a triangle with vertices

the given triangle is given by

x
1  1
x2
2 
x3

(x1 , y1 ), (x2 , y2 ) and (x3 , y3 ), then the area of


y1 1
y2 1
y3 1

Proof. Consider the following figure

Figure 1: A triangle on a cartesian coordinate

Our goal is to find the area of 4D(A4D ). But we can accomplish this just by subtracting
the area of 4A + 4B + 4C from the area of the .
Now, the area of  is
A = (x2 x1 )(y2 y3 )
= x2 y2 x2 y3 x1 y2 + x1 y3

The area of 4A is given by

1
A4A = (x2 x3 )(y2 y3 )
2
1
= (x2 y2 x2 y3 x3 y2 + x3 y3 )
2
And area of 4B is given by
1
A4B = (x3 x1 )(y1 y3 )
2
1
= (x3 y1 x3 y3 x1 y1 + x1 y3 )
2
Finally, the area of 4C is given by
1
A4C = (x2 x1 )(y2 y1 )
2
1
= (x2 y2 x2 y1 x1 y2 + x1 y1 )
2
Now,

A4A + A4B + A4C

2 (x2 y2 x2 y3 x3 y2 + x3 y3 )
= + 21 (x3 y1 x3 y3 x1 y1 + x1 y3 )

1
+ 2 (x2 y2 x2 y1 x1 y2 + x1 y1 )
1
= x2 y2 + (x2 y3 x3 y2 + x3 y1 + x1 y3 x2 y1 x1 y2 )
2

But we know that

A4D = A (A4A + A4B + A4C )
Thus


1
A4D = (x2 y2 x2 y3 x1 y2 + x1 y3 ) x2 y2 + (x2 y3 x3 y2 + x3 y1 + x1 y3 x2 y1 x1 y2 )
2
..
.
(some algebraic simplification)


1
(x3 y2 x2 y3 ) (x3 y1 x1 y3 ) + (x2 y1 x1 y2 )
2

x1 y1 1

1
= x2 y2 1
2
x3 y3 1



x1 y1 1


Corollary 1.2. If x2 y2 1 = 0, then the points (x1 , y1 ), (x2 , y2 ) and (x3 , y3 ) lies on the
x3 y3 1
same line that means they are collinear.