Systems of Linear Equations and Matrices (Solution)

Information in science, business, and mathematics is often organized into rows and columns to form rectangular arrays called “matrices” (plural of “matrix”). Matrices often appear as tables of numerical data that arise from physical observations, but they occur in various mathematical contexts as well. For example, we will see in this chapter that all of the information required to solve a system of equations such as 5x + y = 3 2x − y = 4 is embodied in the matrix   and that the solution of the system can be obtained by performing appropriate operations on this matrix. This is particularly important in developing computer programs for solving systems of equations because computers are well suited for manipulating arrays of numerical information. However, matrices are not simply a notational tool for solving systems of equations; they can be viewed as mathematical objects in their own right, and there is a rich and important theory associated with them that has a multitude of practical applications. It is the study of matrices and related topics that forms the mathematical field that we call “linear algebra.” In this chapter we will begin our study of matrices.