Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / iii / Paper 31 / 1 / i / Solution

Let $V_m=\det [x_i^{j-1}{]}_{i,j=1}^m$. It is an alternating polynomial: exchanging two variables exchanges two rows of the Vandermonde matrix and reverses its determinant. Hence $V_m$ vanishes whenever $x_k=x_l$, so each factor $x_l-x_k$ divides it. The distinct linear factors are pairwise coprime polynomials, and their product therefore divides $V_m$. Both have total degree $0+1+\cdots +(m-1)=m(m-1)/2$, soThe coefficient of $x_m^{m-1}$ in the determinant is $V_{m-1}$, by expansion along its last row. The same coefficient in the product is ${\prod }_{k<l<m}(x_l-x_k)$. Thus $C_m=C_{m-1}$, and $C_1=1$. Consequently the Vandermonde determinant identity isThis is a polynomial identity, including repeated coordinates; no division by a possibly zero numerical Vandermonde product is needed.