Meaning & use
determinant
A factor that decisively influences the nature, outcome, or occurrence of something.
See it in a sentence
Income is often the strongest determinant of access to quality healthcare.
Students learned to calculate the determinant of a two-by-two matrix.
A note on using this word
In mathematics, the determinant is a specific numerical value computed from a square matrix, unrelated to the general everyday meaning.
Words with a similar meaning
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Another way to use it
2. noun
In mathematics, a scalar value calculated from the elements of a square matrix.
If the determinant of the matrix is zero, the system has no unique solution.
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