Determinant for V = 12h³ - 6ah² + ha²

[Glen]

Spotted the question here:

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions ... r-nomogram

I can see how to do this much: -V + 12h³ - 6ah² easily enough, and probably any two of the terms on the RHS can be done the same way.

This doesn't look like it's necessarily impossible, but it might require playing with terms in all three columns.

Can anyone get that to come out?

[jasonwalker]

Not often I get to be the clever one around here.

Determinant:
0__________V_________1
1__________[6a-a²]_______1
[h/(h+1)]__[12h³/(h+1)]___1

It's a standard type 4 determinant as described by Levens, or Genus 1 as described by Alcock and Jones. The formula just translates directly across.

Jason

[Glen]

Hi Jason

That determinant seems to be V = 12h³ - 6ah + ha²

Unfortunately, the equation is V = 12h³ - 6ah² + ha² (--- note middle term is a little different)

A comment in Hall seems to suggest that without a common factor (as there is in the first one), 3-terms in two RHS variables usually doesn't work; this may be an example of a case where it doesn't.

I appreciate the effort; your suggestion is a bit neater than one I had and gives me more room to play with it.

[jasonwalker]

Oh bother. Thought I had it!