For the reaction \( A + B \to C \), the rate law is found to be \( \text{rate} = k[A]^2[B] \). If the concentration of \( A \) is doubled and \( B \) is halved, by what factor does the rate change?
If $ A = \left[\begin{array}{cc} 3 & 1 \\2 & 4 \end{array}\right] $, then the determinant of the adjoint of $ A^2 $ is: