A coordinate-free definition of this operation relies on the top exterior power defining a one-dimensional space. SL(n) (“S-L-N”) is the kernel of a homomorphism defined by this operation from GL(n) (“G-L-N”) to the non-zero reals under multiplication. Unusually, this operation is only introduced towards the end of a textbook by Sheldon Axler (10[1])called (10[1])Linear (10[2])Algebra Done Right, (10[1])which defines this operation as the unique alternating multilinear form up to scaling. The output of this operation equals the constant term of the characteristic polynomial. The general linear group excludes matrices which output zero (-5[1])under this operation since they are non-invertible. For 10 points, name this operation that, for a two-by-two matrix, equals “a (10[1])d minus b c.” ■END■