MHB How Can Basis Vectors Simplify Real-World Problems?

matqkks · Jul 16, 2012

What is attractive way to introduce basis vectors? I am looking for a hook that students will find motivating. It needs to have an impact. I have normally introduced it by just stating independent vectors that span the space.

Evgeny.Makarov · Jul 16, 2012

I've never taught linear algebra, but selecting a basis is essentially selecting a coordinate system, which allows identifying each point (vector) with a unique sequence of numbers. Coordinate systems are obviously crucial for solving many practical problems.

MHB How Can Basis Vectors Simplify Real-World Problems?

Thread 'When are Markov Matrices also Martingales?'

Thread 'Derivation of equations of stress tensor transformation'

Similar threads

Hot Threads

I How to show ##p(x)=g(x)x\pm 1\in\Bbb{Q}[x]## is irreducible in ##\Bbb{Q}_{\Bbb{Z}}[x]##?

I Showing ##k[x_1,\ldots,x_n]/\mathfrak{a}## is finite dimensional

I How do we distinguish two different notations for cokernel and coimage?

I Localising a non integral domain at a prime

I ##(A/\mathfrak{a})_{\mathfrak{p}/\mathfrak{a}}## and its isomorphism?

Recent Insights

Insights Thinking Outside The Box Versus Knowing What’s In The Box

Insights Why Entangled Photon-Polarization Qubits Violate Bell’s Inequality

Insights Quantum Entanglement is a Kinematic Fact, not a Dynamical Effect

Insights What Exactly is Dirac’s Delta Function? - Insight

Insights Relativator (Circular Slide-Rule): Simulated with Desmos - Insight

Insights Fixing Things Which Can Go Wrong With Complex Numbers