Answer:
![D = ab - cd](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/advanced-placement-ap/high-school/88c5os483xf1b9zqeqcj1agejlbt3yw290.png)
Step-by-step explanation:
Given
![\left[\begin{array}{cc}a&b\\c&d\end{array}\right]](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/mathematics/college/672so31hvv17yja5x20ajbepg9fn7hnrzo.png)
Required
Determine the determinant
Represent the determinant with D
Since the above matrices is 2 by 2.
All we have to do is to multiply the alternate elements of the columns
i.e. (a * d) and (b * c)
Then subtract:
![D = (a * d) - (b * c)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/advanced-placement-ap/high-school/1wybduh8m33sspqcs3drmi0ym3ik3m44ms.png)
Simplify
![D = (ad) - (bc)](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/advanced-placement-ap/high-school/b4llja4nb5eoro05k4xnr2rgftjvxuyne6.png)
![D = ab - cd](https://img.qammunity.org/2021/formulas/advanced-placement-ap/high-school/88c5os483xf1b9zqeqcj1agejlbt3yw290.png)