thekittensmeow is reading some chemistry papers and dreaming of being an interrogator
revising linear algebra, getting it right this time
How I did it: My first linear algebra course was as a freshman, and although I muddled through the problems (many proof-based), it still didn't really click. Or, what clicking moments there were flitted away in the following weeks and months.
Lessons & tips: Learn both theory and applications. Go slowly. Do problems. Think up your own problems. Explain things to people.
Resources: Gilbert Strang's lectures on OpenCourseWare were invaluable (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-06Spring-2005/CourseHome/index.htm). Sheldon Axler's "Linear Algebra Done Right" helped me a lot from the pure math side.
thekittensmeow is reading some chemistry papers and dreaming of being an interrogator
revising linear algebra, getting it right this time
swbluto is swbluto
Linear algebra is powerful, no doubt about it. There are so many linear systems in engineering problems(And science problems given simplification) that it’s really nice just to be able to whip out the calculator and RREF the corresponding matrix and, voila(!), the answers!
I’ve also used it for polynomial interpolation of arbitrary points, which is truly awesome. It’s really just a “power series”, in disguise, except solved Linear Algebra style. Basically that means you can be given ANY number sequence and there exists a polynomial equation that’d fit that number sequence(And you can solve for it explicitly!).
But, I’ve only learned “Elementary Linear Algebra”. It seems there are more abstract concepts to conquer peering at MIT’s course list.
(I hated my Linear Algebra teacher, by the way.)
How can I start to learn linear algebra. People say it is to hard. Is it an easyer manner to start.
I’ve started watching Gilbert Strang’s videotaped lectures at MIT Open Course Ware.
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Mathematics/18-06Spring-2005/VideoLectures/index.htm
The site also has homework assignments and quizzes to practice.
I see that someone else wants to learn OpenGL. Yeah. I guess these things go together. I desire to be a game programmer but if I don’t conquer these things I don’t think I have a chance to get into the industry. Perhaps I can get in through tool development.
We will see… but I have to go after the dream!