Value of Vandermonde Determinant/Formulation 1/Proof 3

Proof
Let $V_n = \begin{vmatrix} 1 & x_1 & x_1^2 & \cdots & x_1^{n-2} & x_1^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_2 & x_2^2 & \cdots & x_2^{n-2} & x_2^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_3 & x_3^2 & \cdots & x_3^{n-2} & x_3^{n-1} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots & \vdots \\ 1 & x_{n-1} & x_{n-1}^2 & \cdots & x_{n-1}^{n-2} & x_{n-1}^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_n & x_n^2 & \cdots & x_n^{n-2} & x_n^{n-1} \end{vmatrix}$.

Start by replacing number $x_n$ in $V_n$ with the unknown $x$.

Thus $V_n$ is made into a function of $x$.


 * $P \left({x}\right) = \begin{vmatrix}

1 & x_1 & x_1^2 & \cdots & x_1^{n-2} & x_1^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_2 & x_2^2 & \cdots & x_2^{n-2} & x_2^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_3 & x_3^2 & \cdots & x_3^{n-2} & x_3^{n-1} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots & \vdots \\ 1 & x_{n-1} & x_{n-1}^2 & \cdots & x_{n-1}^{n-2} & x_{n-1}^{n-1} \\ 1 & x & x^2 & \cdots & x^{n-2} & x^{n-1} \end{vmatrix}$.

Let $x$ equal a value from the set $\set {x_1,\ldots,x_{n-1} }$.

Then determinant $\map P {x}$ has equal rows, giving:

Perform row expansion by the last row.

Then $P \left({x}\right)$ is seen to be a polynomial of degree $n-1$:


 * $P \left({x}\right) = \begin{vmatrix}

x_1 & x_1^2 & \cdots & x_1^{n-2} & x_1^{n-1} \\ x_2 & x_2^2 & \cdots & x_2^{n-2} & x_2^{n-1} \\ x_3 & x_3^2 & \cdots & x_3^{n-2} & x_3^{n-1} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots \\ x_{n-1} & x_{n-1}^2 & \cdots & x_{n-1}^{n-2} & x_{n-1}^{n-1} \end{vmatrix} + \begin{vmatrix} 1 & x_1^2 & \cdots & x_1^{n-2} & x_1^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_2^2 & \cdots & x_2^{n-2} & x_2^{n-1} \\ 1 & x_3^2 & \cdots & x_3^{n-2} & x_3^{n-1} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots \\ 1 & x_{n-1}^2 & \cdots & x_{n-1}^{n-2} & x_{n-1}^{n-1} \end{vmatrix}x \ \ + \ \ \cdots \ \ + \ \ \begin{vmatrix} 1 & x_1 & x_1^2 & \cdots & x_1^{n-2} \\ 1 & x_2 & x_2^2 & \cdots & x_2^{n-2} \\ 1 & x_3 & x_3^2 & \cdots & x_3^{n-2} \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots \\ 1 & x_{n-1} & x_{n-1}^2 & \cdots & x_{n-1}^{n-2} \end{vmatrix}x^{n-1}$.

By the Polynomial Factor Theorem:
 * $P \left({x}\right) = C \left({x - x_1}\right) \left({x - x_2}\right) \dotsm \left({x - x_{n-1} }\right)$

where $C$ is the leading coefficient (with $x^{n-1}$ power).

Thus:
 * $P \left({x}\right) = V_{n-1} \left({x - x_1}\right) \left({x - x_2}\right) \dotsm \left({x - x_{n-1} }\right)$

which by evaluating at $x = x_n$ gives:


 * $V_n = V_{n-1} \left({x_n - x_1}\right) \left({x_n - x_2}\right) \dotsm \left({x_n - x_{n-1} }\right)$

Repeating the process:

which establishes the solution.