Hi Bernard:

Thank you for replying. I understand the matrix needs to be square. My
question is how do you make a square matrix from a data set that consists of
2 colums (X,Y) and 200 rows of data? From this data set I need to create the
following square matix for all 200 rows.

a1,1 = x2-x1
a1,2 = y2-y1
a2,1 = x3-x2
a2,2 = y3-y2


"Bernard Liengme" wrote:

Not sure if I follow the question.
The determinant of a matrix is defined only for a square matrix (number of
rows = number of columns)
best wishes
--
Bernard V Liengme
www.stfx.ca/people/bliengme
remove caps from email

"Gary B" wrote in message
...
I have a problem that I can't seem to solve.
Basically, I have 4 columns of data points and about 200 rows.
So, for Row 1 I have numbers like 1,2,3,4 and the next Row(2) like
5,6,7,8...
The problem is that when I try to solver for the determinate, Excel wants
the data format to be in a 2x2 format, i.e. 1,2 on first row, and 3,4 on
second row. OR, It will take the data in one row (1,2,3,4) provided that
numbers are entered instead of cell designator, as descibed in the help
section:

=MDETERM(A2:D5) Determinant of the matrix above (88)

=MDETERM({3,6,1;1,1,0;3,10,2}) Determinant of the matrix as an array
constant (1)

Does anyone know how to get around this?

Thanks,