The Matrix Cookbook (2012) [pdf]

You had me at "butter".

Or recipes that make everything taste like chicken

The author's email address is in there and it sounds like they were soliciting for comments... who knows if they are still maintaining this or not.

This is intended as a reference, not as a teaching tool, so I think the order it is currently in works fine.

Edit: Sorry, I misinterpreted the order of your suggested change. I agree that, even for use as a reference, perhaps the order could be improved.

Matrices become captivating when you try to do almost any kind of engineering thing in the real world.

Like building a graphics or physics engine, or calculating the Page Rank of a web page, etc'.

If you can program, I recommend trying to build a 2D graphics and physics engine using vectors to represent position and velocity.

Also, Steven Wittens is amazing: http://acko.net/tv/webglmath/

3 Blue 1 Brown has a much better introduction than any course I've seen: http://www.3blue1brown.com/essence-of-linear-algebra-page/

Matrices are mathematical batch processing.

The expressiveness and power you get from being able to cast and solve problems in matrix form is similar to the lightbulb that pops up when one “gets” the relational algebraic power underpinning SQL.

Say you start with a small system of equations and you find out how you can solve them. Then you solve a bunch more, but then you start to notice that you don't like writing out the x, y, and z's, so you just keep the coefficients, in a box of sorts. Then you translate what you were doing into operations on the rows of this ... matrix you call it. After solving some more equations, you start to forget where these things come from. Surely they come from equations, but because the coefficients, plus signs and equal signs disappear, you are left with a box of numbers really.

What happens next is that different questions start to come to mind. The matrix attains a life of its own. You start to think questions like "Well, we have some x, y, z's and this box of numbers somehow transforms them into the right hand side's a, b, c's". Ok, the matrix is some kind of "transformation" now. You look at its properties. It appears that aX + bY can be computed entry-wise, so maybe this is a fundamental property and you call it linearity. Hmm. At some point you forget about the boxes of numbers and now you have bonafide transformations. From what? To where? You call these...vector spaces. And so on.

Further down the line you become preoccupied by questions of a different flavour, like what happens if you want something like Ax = cx. That is, we get x back with minimal distortion. Fairly simple question that leads to a lot of math.

It also just happens that when you consider mathematical functions of several dimensions, and matrices become apparent when you consider linear approximations. You've built this great theory for them and now that theory seems to really help in these kinds of problems. That is, a LOT of computational problems in this world.

I was expecting the recipes for the "protein shake" they eat in the Nebuchadnezzar and Cypher's steak :(

for like minded people: https://youtu.be/eA6uLMsl9w0

Thanks. I was just now straining to remember what food was shown in the films. A bowl of snot. A juicy & delicious steak. The oracle's cookies. I actually never realized before that food is such a theme. Makes sense, it is a very non-machine activity to consume food.

Personally I was expecting linear-algebra based recipes that let you vary proportions continuously or something.

I only ever took one course in university on linear algebra and numerical methods, and I'm an electronic engineering student. But my hobbies (mathematical classical and Marxian economics) necessitate a deep understanding of matrices, sets and vector algebra. I hope this will help me!

Also perplexed and disappointed with the linked .pdf :(

Now I know matrix.

Ignorance is bliss.

i am so disappointed when i find out it is matrix the mathematics!

I expected a deep rundown of the glop and what it would take for it to be all you need.

Binging with Babish could help https://www.bingingwithbabish.com/recipes/2017/6/27/chateaub...