function z = gooddet(A)
% GOODDET   z = gooddet(A)
%   Compute determinant by LU decomposition (Gauss elimination).
%   O(n^3) work instead of O(n!) like baddet.m
%   Essentially, this is the built-in method for determinant.

n = size(A,2);                           % get number of columns
if n == 1, z = A(1,1);   return,  end    % finish easy case of 1x1 matrix

[L,U,P] = lu(A);
s = detperm(P);         % replacement "s = det(P);" is fine, though "cheating"
z = s * prod(diag(U));