Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 08:08:00 -0600 (CST)
To: QandQ@MathCentral.uregina.ca
Subject: matricies

Name: Stephanie

Who is asking: Teacher
Level: Secondary

Question:
If a matrix for a rectangle looks this way: 

			AACC
			BDDB
What does the matrix for a square look like?

Hi Stephanie,
A matrix is a rectangular array of things, usually numbers, and we often write them surrounded by large parentheses. The matrix you have given I would write,


This matrix has 2 rows and 4 columns so it is a 2 by 4 matrix (rows are always mentioned first). A matrix with the same number of rows as columns is called a square matrix so

is a 3 by 3 square matrix.

Cheers,
Penny

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