Question
Without expanding, show that the values of the following determinant are zero:
$\begin{vmatrix}\sqrt{23}+\sqrt{3}&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{15}+\sqrt{46}&5&\sqrt{10}\\3+\sqrt{115}&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}$

Answer

$\begin{vmatrix}\sqrt{23}+\sqrt{3}&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{15}+\sqrt{46}&5&\sqrt{10}\\3+\sqrt{115}&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}$
$=\begin{vmatrix}\sqrt{3}&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{15}&5&\sqrt{10}\\3&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}+\begin{vmatrix}\sqrt{23}&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{46}&5&\sqrt{10}\\\sqrt{115}&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}$
$=\sqrt{3}\begin{vmatrix}1&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{5}&5&\sqrt{10}\\\sqrt{3}&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}+\sqrt{23}\begin{vmatrix}1&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{2}&5&\sqrt{10}\\\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}$
$=\sqrt{3}\times\sqrt{5}\begin{vmatrix}1&\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{5}\\\sqrt{5}&5&\sqrt{10}\\\sqrt{3}&\sqrt{3}&5\end{vmatrix}+\sqrt{23}\times\sqrt{5}\begin{vmatrix}1&\sqrt{5}&1\\\sqrt{2}&5&\sqrt{2}\\\sqrt{5}&\sqrt{15}&5\end{vmatrix}$
$=0+0$
$=0$

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