Chartier T. When Life is Linear: From Computer Graphics to Bracketology

N.-Y.: Mathematical Association of America, 2015. — 140 p. — ISBN: 0883856492, 9780883856499From simulating complex phenomenon on supercomputers to storing the coordinates needed in modern 3D printing, data is a huge and growing part of our world. A major tool to manipulate and study this data is linear algebra. This book introduces concepts of matrix algebra with an emphasis on application, particularly in the fields of computer graphics and data mining. Readers will learn to make an image transparent, compress an image and rotate a 3D wireframe model. In data mining, readers will use linear algebra to read ZIP codes on envelopes and encrypt sensitive information. The books details methods behind web search, utilized by such companies as Google, and algorithms for sports ranking which have been applied to creating brackets for March Madness and predict outcomes in FIFA World Cup soccer. The book can serve as its own resource or to supplement a course on linear algebra.X Marks the Spot
Entering the Matrix
Sub Swapping
Spying on the Matrix
Math in the Matrix
Sum Matrices
Adding to Things
Getting Inverted
Blending Space
Linearly Invisible
Leaving Through a Portal
Fitting the Norm
Recommended Movie
Handwriting at a Distance
Go Forth and Multiply
Scaly by Product
Computing Similar Taste
Scaling to Higher Dimensions
Escher in the Matrix
Lamborghini Spinout
Line Detector
It’s Elementary, My Dear Watson
Visual Operation
Being Cryptic
Math to the Max
Dash of Math
Linear Path to College
Going Cocoa for Math
Stretch and Shrink
Getting Some Definition
Getting Graphic
Finding Groupies
Seeing the Principal
Zombie Math—Decomposing
A Singularly Valuable Matrix Decomposition
Feeling Compressed
In a Blur
Losing Some Memory
What Are the Chances?
Down the Chute
Google’s Rankings of Web Pages
Enjoying the Chaos
Mining for Meaning
Slice and Dice
Movie with not Much Dimension
Presidential Library of Eigenfaces
Recommendation—Seeing Stars
Who’s Number 1?
Getting Massey
Colley Method
Rating Madness
March MATHness
Adding Weight to the Madness
World Cup Rankings
End of the Line