What is the syntax for MDETERM in Excel?

The syntax for MDETERM is: =MDETERM(array)

What is MDETERM used for?

MDETERM calculates the determinant of a square matrix. The determinant tells you if a matrix is invertible (non-zero determinant) and is used in solving systems of linear equations, calculating areas/volumes, and eigenvalue problems.

What does a zero determinant mean?

A zero determinant means the matrix is 'singular' - it has no inverse, and the system of equations it represents has either no solution or infinite solutions. The rows/columns are linearly dependent.

How do I calculate a 2x2 determinant manually?

For matrix [[a,b],[c,d]], determinant = ad - bc. MDETERM does this automatically for any size square matrix. For 3x3 and larger, the calculation is more complex but MDETERM handles it.

Math & Trig

MDETERM Function in Excel

Returns the matrix determinant of an array.

Syntax

=MDETERM(array)

Arguments

array (required): Square numeric array

Examples

=MDETERM(A1:B2) - Determinant of 2x2 matrix - Result: Determinant value

MDETERM in reporting workflows

Use absolute references when copying formulas across rows.
For conditional totals see [SUMIF](/functions/sumif/) and [SUMIFS](/functions/sumifs/).
Filtered lists may need [SUBTOTAL](/functions/subtotal/) instead of SUM on visible cells only.

Common errors

#VALUE! if not square matrix

Use cases

Linear algebra
System of equations
Engineering

Frequently asked questions

What is MDETERM used for? MDETERM calculates the determinant of a square matrix. The determinant tells you if a matrix is invertible (non-zero determinant) and is used in solving systems of linear equations, calculating areas/volumes, and eigenvalue problems.
What does a zero determinant mean? A zero determinant means the matrix is 'singular' - it has no inverse, and the system of equations it represents has either no solution or infinite solutions. The rows/columns are linearly dependent.
How do I calculate a 2x2 determinant manually? For matrix [[a,b],[c,d]], determinant = ad - bc. MDETERM does this automatically for any size square matrix. For 3x3 and larger, the calculation is more complex but MDETERM handles it.

Editorial review

Reviewed by Excel.Directory Editorial Team. Updated May 2026.