User:Jim.belk/Draft:Matrix (mathematics)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In mathematics, a matrix (plural matrices) is a rectangular table of elements (or entries), which may be numbers or, more generally, any abstract quantities that can be added and multiplied. Matrices are used to describe linear equations, keep track of the coefficients of linear transformations and to record data that depend on multiple parameters. Matrices can be added, multiplied, and decomposed in various ways, making them a key concept in linear algebra and matrix theory.
- For the square matrix section, see square matrix.
In this article, the entries of a matrix are real or complex numbers unless otherwise noted.
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/84/Matrix.png/200px-Matrix.png)