Least Square Estimator for Matrices: Bill's Problem

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I recently came across the following interesting problem.

Suppose A = BC where A,B, and C are matrices. We know a ton of A's and their corresponding C's. We want the least square estimator of B.

When A and C are vectors the solution is well known.

But what is the solution when they are matrices?

Thanks
Bill
 
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How do you intend to define the "error" between the observed and predicted values? Until that is defined, "least squares" doesn't describe a specific criteria.
 
Isn't there an equivalent of a perp projection operator in your space of matrices ?If this space is a Hilbert space, then, AFAIK, the general solution to this problem in a Hilbert space is the ortho. projection of B onto the subspace spanned by A,C.
 
WWGD said:
Isn't there an equivalent of a perp projection operator in your space of matrices ?If this space is a Hilbert space, then, AFAIK, the general solution to this problem in a Hilbert space is the ortho. projection of B onto the subspace spanned by A,C.

Yes there is - its the trace. I will think about that one.

Thanks
Bill
 
Hi Guys

Thanks for all the help.

Finally nutted it out. As usual I was on the wrong track. It's simply a matter by blocking the problem and reducing it to a number of ordinary least squares problems. Break B into rows Bj so you get the usual least squares problems ||Aji - BjCi||^2. The minimum is the minimum of each of these separate problems.

Thanks
Bill