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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   4345 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for December 4, 2022

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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If you're looking at linear algebra as the study of matrices then you're thinking about it in completely the wrong way. Linear algebra is the study of linear maps from vector spaces to other vector spaces, end of. The book "Linear Algebra done right": https://www.amazon.co.uk/Linear-Algebra-Right-Undergraduate-Mathematics/dp/0387982582 is a very good teaching aid, it explains what's actually going on properly while minimising matrix bullshit.

I think so as well. Which is why I said its insane to include large matrix multiplications in a lin alg exam.

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