MaplePrimes - answers and comments on Question, Why can not I obtain determinant of matrix of order 14?

Use finite-field arithmetic

Carl Love — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:54:43 Z

You should post your matrix or the worksheet that contains it. If the entries are rational functions, then we can compute the answer numerically over different finite fields and reconstruct the final answer via Chinese remaindering. A lot of this functionality is already built into Maple if you use the correct options for the Determinant command. And I'll work on that when you post your matrix.

In the worst case, there could be 14! ~ 87 billion terms in the determinant; so you may need to be satisfied with the value of the determinant at specific numeric values of the variables.

really?

edgar — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 01:22:43 Z

Another remark: Do you really need the determinant? Or would some other calculation suffice?

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G A Edgar

post matrix

roman_pearce — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:39:04 Z

Can you post the Matrix? I want to see if Maple 17 can do it.

Agree

Carl Love — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 02:05:00 Z

Despite my enthusiasm (as a challenge for my own amusement) for computing the actual answer, if it actually turns out to be possible to do so, I agree with G A Edgar.