TASK DEFINITION: In this task you will be given a text passage from a trivia quiz. You should choose the category this question belongs to from these categories: History, Science, Social Science, Fine Arts, Literature. You can only choose one category, so if in doubt, please choose the closest match.
PROBLEM: Laplaces rule may be used to compute a version of this quantity for its namesake tensor in order to prove the Alon-Tarsi conjecture for Latin squares of even order; that proof uses Cayleys version of this operator. The Cauchy-Binet rule generalizes it to commutative rings, while Leibnizs formula uses permutations of elements to compute it. Setting to zero the result of this operation on lambda I minus A allows us to calculate As eigenvalues. Cramers rule uses ratios of these to solve systems of linear equations. For ten points, name this quantity that is a d minus c b for a 2 by 2 matrix a b c d.

SOLUTION: Science

PROBLEM: People escaping during this event utilized the McCorkell Line to seek passage to Canada and US. In the country where this took place, it is referred to as ""an Gorta Mor"" or ""an Drochshaol. "" One response to this event was Robert Peel's decision to repeal the Corn Laws. Thought to be caused an oomycete known as Phytophthora infestans, this event resulted in approximately a million deaths. For 10 points, name this massive dying caused by a blight, which affected a particular crop in the 1840's and 50's in Ireland.

SOLUTION: Social Science

PROBLEM: He studied philosophy under William of Champeaux and theology under Anselm of Laon, though he later came into conflict with both of his teachers. He described his ethical beliefs in Know Yourself, and was condemned for his nominalist doctrines at the Council of Soissons. He wrote an autobiographical work entitled Historia calamitatum. Though his book of biblical contradictions entitled Sic et Non was widely used to teach logic and dialectic, he is most famous for his love affair and ensuing castration. For 10 points, name this early scholastic and lover of Heloise.

SOLUTION:
Social Science