Linear Algebra the Conceptual Way - Rhea

Introduction

For many students they are able to skate by in linear algebra by following equations and systems but don't understand the intuitive nature of matrices and vectors and their operators. This tutorial is not meant as a replacement to the course but should rather be used as a supplement to the course to understand why the operations work as they do

Vectors

For computer science students vectors can be seen as ordered lists, for engineering students focused on physics they can be seen as a direction and a length. For linear algebra they can be approached from any and every angle.

For the purposes of this tutorial think of it was a way to move a point (normally at the origin) to another point

As a warning most of this page will be movement oriented and I will try my best to graphically demonstrate that

So for example the vector $ \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2\end{bmatrix} $ will move a vector from the origin to point (1,2)

If we want vectors to have all the properties of numbers then what should a vector + a vector result in.

What if we make it one movement and then the other? This way $ \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2\end{bmatrix}+\begin{bmatrix} -3\\ 2\end{bmatrix} $ will be the resultof moving right 1 and up 2 followed by moving left 3 and up 2.

As displayed by the animation this is the same as adding the x component each vector and the y component of each vector.

In this way $ \begin{bmatrix} 1\\ 2\end{bmatrix}+\begin{bmatrix} -3\\ 2\end{bmatrix}=\begin{bmatrix}1-3\\2+2\end{bmatrix}=\begin{bmatrix}-2\\4\end{bmatrix} $