MDETERM Function in Excel: Determinant of a Matrix

MDETERM Function in Excel: Determinant of a Matrix featured illustration

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

⏱ 2 min readUpdated 28 September 2026

MathLevel: ExpertAvailable in: Excel 2007+

In this article
  1. Syntax
  2. Examples
  3. Example 1
  4. MDETERM in practice
  5. Where you will use it
  6. Worked example
  7. Mistakes people make
  8. Related functions
  9. Continue learning

MDETERM returns the determinant. Zero means the equations have no unique solution.

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Syntax

=MDETERM(array)
Argument What it means
array Square range.

Examples

Example 1

=MDETERM({2,3;1,-1})

Returns −5.

MDETERM in practice

Where you will use it

  • Check if equations have a unique solution
  • Area of a triangle from coordinates
  • Matrix maths

Worked example

CaseFormulaResult
1=ROUND(MDETERM(CHOOSE(A2,{2,1;1,3},{1,2;2,4},{1,0,0;0,2,0;0,0,3})),4)5
2=ROUND(MDETERM(CHOOSE(A3,{2,1;1,3},{1,2;2,4},{1,0,0;0,2,0;0,0,3})),4)0
3=ROUND(MDETERM(CHOOSE(A4,{2,1;1,3},{1,2;2,4},{1,0,0;0,2,0;0,0,3})),4)6

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

MistakeWhat to do instead
Zero determinantMatrix can't be inverted
Non-square#VALUE!

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📎 Practice files for this article

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    Practice workbook: Math & rounding24 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.
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Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.

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