Explanation
To find the possible values of the determinant ∣M∣, we use the property of determinants that states ∣AB∣=∣A∣⋅∣B∣.
Step 1: Take the determinant of both sides
Given the equation:
M3=M
Taking the determinant of both sides:
∣M3∣=∣M∣
Using the property ∣Mn∣=(∣M∣)n:
(∣M∣)3=∣M∣
Step 2: Solve the algebraic equation
Let x=∣M∣. The equation becomes:
x3=x
x3−x=0
x(x2−1)=0
x(x−1)(x+1)=0
Step 3: Analyze the possible roots
The equation yields three possible solutions for x:
Since ∣M∣ can take any of these three values (e.g., if M is a zero matrix, ∣M∣=0; if M is an identity matrix, ∣M∣=1; if M is a diagonal matrix with entries −1,1,0, ∣M∣=−1), there are three possible values for ∣M∣.
Final Answer:
There are three possible values for ∣M∣. The correct option is (c).