What is the value of the determinant \(\left| {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\rm{i}}&{{{\rm{i}}^2}}&{{{\rm{i}}^3}}\\ {{{\rm{i}}^4}}&{{{\rm{i}}^6}}&{{{\rm{i}}^8}}\\ {{{\rm{i}}^9}}&{{{\rm{i}}^{12}}}&{{{\rm{i}}^{15}}} \end{array}} \right|\) where \(\rm i = \sqrt {-1}\) ?

Concept:

\(\rm i = \sqrt {-1}\)

i² = -1 , i³ = - i, i⁴ = 1, i⁶ = - 1 , i⁸ = 1 , i⁹ = i, i ¹² = 1, and i¹⁵ = - i

Calculations: 

Given determinant is \(\left| {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\rm{i}}&{{{\rm{i}}^2}}&{{{\rm{i}}^3}}\\ {{{\rm{i}}^4}}&{{{\rm{i}}^6}}&{{{\rm{i}}^8}}\\ {{{\rm{i}}^9}}&{{{\rm{i}}^{12}}}&{{{\rm{i}}^{15}}} \end{array}} \right|\)

Since, we have, 

\(\rm i = \sqrt {-1}\)

i2 = -1 , i3 = - i, i4 = 1, i6 = - 1 , i8 = 1 , i9 = i, i 12 = 1, and i15 = - i

=\(\left| {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\rm{i}}&{{{\rm{-1}}}}&{{{\rm{-i}}}}\\ {{{\rm{1}}}}&{{{\rm{-1}}}}&{{{\rm{1}}}}\\ {{{\rm{i}}}}&{{{\rm{1}}}}&{{{\rm{-i}}}} \end{array}} \right|\)

=i(i - 1) + 1(-i - i) - i (1 + i)

= i² - i - 2i - i - i²

= - 4i