[SciPy-user] determinant of a sparse matrix

[Andy Fraser]

>>>>> "GC" == Giampaolo Cuoghi <jpaul74 at gmail.com> writes:

    GC> In a particular problem I haven't to solve the linear system
    GC> Ax=b (with A=sparse matrix) but only compute the determinant
    GC> of A, and compare it with zero.

    GC> Is it possible, in scipy, the computation of the determinant
    GC> of a sparse matrix?

I use scipy.sparse.linalg.lobpcg to find the smallest eigenvalue of a
sparse matrix.  If you only want to know if your determinant is
different from zero, and you know something about the eigenvalues
(for example they are real and not negative) you might be able to get
what you want out of lobpcg.

Andy