TAOCP 1.2.5 Exercise 15

The $(i,j)$ entry of the matrix is $i\times j$.

Section 1.2.5: Permutations and Factorials

Exercise 15. [**] [HM15] The permanent of a square matrix is defined by the same expansion as the determinant except that each term of the permanent is given a plus sign while the determinant alternates between plus and minus. Thus the permanent of

$$ \begin{pmatrix} a & b & c \ d & e & f \ g & h & i \end{pmatrix} $$

is $aei+bfg+cdh+gec+hfa+idb$. What is the permanent of

$$ \begin{pmatrix} 1\times 1 & 1\times 2 & \cdots & 1\times n \ 2\times 1 & 2\times 2 & \cdots & 2\times n \ \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots \ n\times 1 & n\times 2 & \cdots & n\times n \end{pmatrix},? $$

Verified: yes
Solve time: 2m56s


The $(i,j)$ entry of the matrix is $i\times j$. Hence row $i$ is equal to $i$ times the first row:

$$ (i\times1,\ i\times2,\ \ldots,\ i\times n) = i(1,\ 2,\ \ldots,\ n). $$

Therefore, for every permutation $\pi$ of ${1,2,\ldots,n}$, the corresponding term in the permanent expansion is

$$ \prod_{i=1}^n (i\times \pi(i)) = \left(\prod_{i=1}^n i\right)\left(\prod_{i=1}^n \pi(i)\right). $$

Since $\pi$ is a permutation,

$$ \prod_{i=1}^n \pi(i)=1\cdot2\cdots n=n!, $$

and also

$$ \prod_{i=1}^n i=n!. $$

Thus every term of the permanent is equal to

$$ (n!)^2. $$

There are exactly $n!$ permutations, hence exactly $n!$ terms in the permanent expansion. Therefore the permanent is

$$ n!(n!)^2=(n!)^3. $$

Thus the value of the permanent is

$$ \boxed{(n!)^3}. $$