This is LaTeX code:

[latex]
\left| {\begin{array}{*{20}c}
 1 & 5 & { - 3} \\
 { - 3} & { - 16} & \beta \\
 2 & {12} & 8 \\

 \end{array} } \right| = 4 - 2\beta \ne 0
[/latex]