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Linear Combination
In mathematics, a linear combination or superposition is an Expression (mathematics), expression constructed from a Set (mathematics), set of terms by multiplying each term by a constant and adding the results (e.g. a linear combination of ''x'' and ''y'' would be any expression of the form ''ax'' + ''by'', where ''a'' and ''b'' are constants). The concept of linear combinations is central to linear algebra and related fields of mathematics. Most of this article deals with linear combinations in the context of a vector space over a field (mathematics), field, with some generalizations given at the end of the article. Definition Let ''V'' be a vector space over the field ''K''. As usual, we call elements of ''V'' ''vector space, vectors'' and call elements of ''K'' ''scalar (mathematics), scalars''. If v1,...,v''n'' are vectors and ''a''1,...,''a''''n'' are scalars, then the ''linear combination of those vectors with those scalars as coefficients'' is :a_1 \mathbf v_1 + a_2 \mathbf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Complex Number
In mathematics, a complex number is an element of a number system that extends the real numbers with a specific element denoted , called the imaginary unit and satisfying the equation i^= -1; every complex number can be expressed in the form a + bi, where and are real numbers. Because no real number satisfies the above equation, was called an imaginary number by René Descartes. For the complex number is called the , and is called the . The set of complex numbers is denoted by either of the symbols \mathbb C or . Despite the historical nomenclature, "imaginary" complex numbers have a mathematical existence as firm as that of the real numbers, and they are fundamental tools in the scientific description of the natural world. Complex numbers allow solutions to all polynomial equations, even those that have no solutions in real numbers. More precisely, the fundamental theorem of algebra asserts that every non-constant polynomial equation with real or complex coefficie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Affine Combination
In mathematics, an affine combination of is a linear combination : \sum_^ = \alpha_ x_ + \alpha_ x_ + \cdots +\alpha_ x_, such that :\sum_^ =1. Here, can be elements ( vectors) of a vector space over a field , and the coefficients \alpha_ are elements of . The elements can also be points of a Euclidean space, and, more generally, of an affine space over a field . In this case the \alpha_ are elements of (or \mathbb R for a Euclidean space), and the affine combination is also a point. See for the definition in this case. This concept is fundamental in Euclidean geometry and affine geometry, because the set of all affine combinations of a set of points forms the smallest affine space containing the points, exactly as the linear combinations of a set of vectors form their linear span. The affine combinations commute with any affine transformation in the sense that : T\sum_^ = \sum_^. In particular, any affine combination of the fixed points of a given affine transform ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basis (linear Algebra)
In mathematics, a Set (mathematics), set of elements of a vector space is called a basis (: bases) if every element of can be written in a unique way as a finite linear combination of elements of . The coefficients of this linear combination are referred to as components or coordinates of the vector with respect to . The elements of a basis are called . Equivalently, a set is a basis if its elements are linearly independent and every element of is a linear combination of elements of . In other words, a basis is a linearly independent spanning set. A vector space can have several bases; however all the bases have the same number of elements, called the dimension (vector space), dimension of the vector space. This article deals mainly with finite-dimensional vector spaces. However, many of the principles are also valid for infinite-dimensional vector spaces. Basis vectors find applications in the study of crystal structures and frame of reference, frames of reference. De ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linearly Dependent
In the theory of vector spaces, a set of vectors is said to be if there exists no nontrivial linear combination of the vectors that equals the zero vector. If such a linear combination exists, then the vectors are said to be . These concepts are central to the definition of dimension. A vector space can be of finite dimension or infinite dimension depending on the maximum number of linearly independent vectors. The definition of linear dependence and the ability to determine whether a subset of vectors in a vector space is linearly dependent are central to determining the dimension of a vector space. Definition A sequence of vectors \mathbf_1, \mathbf_2, \dots, \mathbf_k from a vector space is said to be ''linearly dependent'', if there exist scalars a_1, a_2, \dots, a_k, not all zero, such that :a_1\mathbf_1 + a_2\mathbf_2 + \cdots + a_k\mathbf_k = \mathbf, where \mathbf denotes the zero vector. This implies that at least one of the scalars is nonzero, say a_1\ne 0 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linear Span
In mathematics, the linear span (also called the linear hull or just span) of a set S of elements of a vector space V is the smallest linear subspace of V that contains S. It is the set of all finite linear combinations of the elements of , and the intersection of all linear subspaces that contain S. It is often denoted pp. 29-30, §§ 2.5, 2.8 or \langle S \rangle. For example, in geometry, two linearly independent vectors span a plane. To express that a vector space is a linear span of a subset , one commonly uses one of the following phrases: spans ; is a spanning set of ; is spanned or generated by ; is a generator set or a generating set of . Spans can be generalized to many mathematical structures, in which case, the smallest substructure containing S is generally called the substructure ''generated'' by S. Definition Given a vector space over a field , the span of a set of vectors (not necessarily finite) is defined to be the intersection of all subsp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
System Of Linear Equations
In mathematics, a system of linear equations (or linear system) is a collection of two or more linear equations involving the same variable (math), variables. For example, : \begin 3x+2y-z=1\\ 2x-2y+4z=-2\\ -x+\fracy-z=0 \end is a system of three equations in the three variables . A ''Solution (mathematics), solution'' to a linear system is an assignment of values to the variables such that all the equations are simultaneously satisfied. In the example above, a solution is given by the Tuple, ordered triple (x,y,z)=(1,-2,-2), since it makes all three equations valid. Linear systems are a fundamental part of linear algebra, a subject used in most modern mathematics. Computational algorithms for finding the solutions are an important part of numerical linear algebra, and play a prominent role in engineering, physics, chemistry, computer science, and economics. A Nonlinear system, system of non-linear equations can often be Approximation, approximated by a linear system (see linea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
If And Only If
In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (often shortened as "iff") is paraphrased by the biconditional, a logical connective between statements. The biconditional is true in two cases, where either both statements are true or both are false. The connective is biconditional (a statement of material equivalence), and can be likened to the standard material conditional ("only if", equal to "if ... then") combined with its reverse ("if"); hence the name. The result is that the truth of either one of the connected statements requires the truth of the other (i.e. either both statements are true, or both are false), though it is controversial whether the connective thus defined is properly rendered by the English "if and only if"—with its pre-existing meaning. For example, ''P if and only if Q'' means that ''P'' is true whenever ''Q'' is true, and the only case in which ''P'' is true is if ''Q'' is also true, whereas in the case of ''P if Q ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polynomial
In mathematics, a polynomial is a Expression (mathematics), mathematical expression consisting of indeterminate (variable), indeterminates (also called variable (mathematics), variables) and coefficients, that involves only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and exponentiation to nonnegative integer powers, and has a finite number of terms. An example of a polynomial of a single indeterminate is . An example with three indeterminates is . Polynomials appear in many areas of mathematics and science. For example, they are used to form polynomial equations, which encode a wide range of problems, from elementary word problem (mathematics education), word problems to complicated scientific problems; they are used to define polynomial functions, which appear in settings ranging from basic chemistry and physics to economics and social science; and they are used in calculus and numerical analysis to approximate other functions. In advanced mathematics, polynomials are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Euler's Identity
In mathematics, Euler's identity (also known as Euler's equation) is the Equality (mathematics), equality e^ + 1 = 0 where :e is E (mathematical constant), Euler's number, the base of natural logarithms, :i is the imaginary unit, which by definition satisfies i^2 = -1, and :\pi is pi, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. Euler's identity is named after the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler. It is a special case of Euler's formula e^ = \cos x + i\sin x when evaluated for x = \pi. Euler's identity is considered an exemplar of mathematical beauty, as it shows a profound connection between the most fundamental numbers in mathematics. In addition, it is directly used in Lindemann–Weierstrass theorem#Transcendence of e and π, a proof that is Transcendental number, transcendental, which implies the impossibility of squaring the circle. Mathematical beauty Euler's identity is often cited as an example of deep mathematical beauty. Three of the basic arithmetic o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imaginary Unit
The imaginary unit or unit imaginary number () is a mathematical constant that is a solution to the quadratic equation Although there is no real number with this property, can be used to extend the real numbers to what are called complex numbers, using addition and multiplication. A simple example of the use of in a complex number is Imaginary numbers are an important mathematical concept; they extend the real number system \mathbb to the complex number system \mathbb, in which at least one Root of a function, root for every nonconstant polynomial exists (see Algebraic closure and Fundamental theorem of algebra). Here, the term ''imaginary'' is used because there is no real number having a negative square (algebra), square. There are two complex square roots of and , just as there are two complex square roots of every real number other than zero (which has one multiple root, double square root). In contexts in which use of the letter is ambiguous or problematic, the le ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
E (mathematical Constant)
The number is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 2.71828 that is the base of a logarithm, base of the natural logarithm and exponential function. It is sometimes called Euler's number, after the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, though this can invite confusion with Euler numbers, or with Euler's constant, a different constant typically denoted \gamma. Alternatively, can be called Napier's constant after John Napier. The Swiss mathematician Jacob Bernoulli discovered the constant while studying compound interest. The number is of great importance in mathematics, alongside 0, 1, Pi, , and . All five appear in one formulation of Euler's identity e^+1=0 and play important and recurring roles across mathematics. Like the constant , is Irrational number, irrational, meaning that it cannot be represented as a ratio of integers, and moreover it is Transcendental number, transcendental, meaning that it is not a root of any non-zero polynomial with rational coefficie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
