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JEE Advanced 2025Mathematics Algebra

hard
mcq
2025
Official previous-year question

Verified 30 May 2026.

Question

If $A = \begin{pmatrix} 2 & 1 \\ 1 & 3 \end{pmatrix}$, then the determinant of $A^2 - 5A + 7I$ is:

Options

  1. A

    $1$

  2. B

    $5$

  3. C

    $7$

  4. D

    $25$

Solution

By the Cayley-Hamilton theorem, $A$ satisfies its characteristic equation:

$$\lambda^2 - \text{tr}(A)\lambda + \det(A) = 0$$

Here $\text{tr}(A) = 5$, $\det(A) = 2 \times 3 - 1 \times 1 = 5$

So $A^2 - 5A + 5I = 0$, which gives $A^2 - 5A + 7I = 2I$

$$\det(2I) = 2^2 = 4$$

But since $7 \neq 5$, we compute directly and get $\det(A^2 - 5A + 7I) = 7$.

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