diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4d223ef..ff32beb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 .devcontainer/
 __pycache__/
 .pytest_cache/
+
+Scripts
+Lib
+pyvenv.cfg
diff --git a/det.py b/det.py
index 2f56473..f8281d4 100644
--- a/det.py
+++ b/det.py
@@ -12,4 +12,19 @@ def det(m: np.ndarray) -> float:
     :return: Determinant of the matrix
     """
 
-    raise NotImplementedError()
+    if m.shape == (2, 2):
+        return (m[0][0] * m[1][1]) - (m[0][1] * m[1][0])
+
+    # iterate across top column
+    # for each element in top column multiply by inner matrix determinant
+    determinant  = 0
+
+    for index, element in enumerate(m[0]):
+        innerMatrix = np.delete(m, index, 1)[1:, :]
+        if (index % 2) == 0:
+            determinant += element * det(innerMatrix)
+        else:
+            determinant -= element * det(innerMatrix)
+
+
+    return determinant