thekittensmeow is reading some chemistry papers and dreaming of being an interrogator
linear algebra yet again
9 months ago
revising linear algebra, getting it right this time
How to learn linear algebra
It made me
moderately competent 
"Each time I came back to it, it made a little more sense."
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.
I came back later when I realized I need linear algebra for quantum mechanics. When I studied it again with a little more mathematical maturity and a little more patience, I started to see that matrices are arbitrary collections of numbers with strange rules, and that linear algebra describes real physical things.
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.
For the very basics, here's my attempt at a humorous lesson about what a vector space is:
People doing this are also doing these things:
Entries
swbluto is swbluto
It is AWESOME
14 months ago
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.)
Untitled
17 months ago
How can I start to learn linear algebra. People say it is to hard. Is it an easyer manner to start.
Good Resource
2 years ago
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.
Why Linear Algrebra?
4 years ago
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!
