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WorksheetFunction.MDeterm method (Excel)

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Returns the matrix determinant of an array.

Syntax

expression.MDeterm (Arg1)

expression A variable that represents a WorksheetFunction object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data type Description
Arg1 Required Variant Array - a numeric array with an equal number of rows and columns.

Return value

Double

Remarks

Array can be given as a cell range, for example, A1:C3; as an array constant, such as {1,2,3;4,5,6;7,8,9}; or as a name to either of these.

MDeterm returns the #VALUE! error when:

  • Any cells in array are empty or contain text.
  • Array does not have an equal number of rows and columns.
  • The size of array exceeds 73 columns by 73 rows.

The matrix determinant is a number derived from the values in array. For a three-row, three-column array, A1:C3, the determinant is defined as: MDETERM(A1:C3) equals A1*(B2*C3-B3*C2) + A2*(B3*C1-B1*C3) + A3*(B1*C2-B2*C1)

Matrix determinants are generally used for solving systems of mathematical equations that involve several variables.

MDeterm is calculated with an accuracy of approximately 16 digits, which may lead to a small numeric error when the calculation is not complete. For example, the determinant of a singular matrix may differ from zero by 1E-16.

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