Subject: RE: Matrix Algebra

Hi, Roy. It is a pretty quirky way of representing reality, isn't it! You'll be amazed to find out matrix notation, and even Gaussian elimination, actually predate differential calculus by nearly 2000 years! It's first mentioned in Sumerian texts, and was developed quite a bit further by the Chinese around 300 B.C.

The notation seems to arise pretty naturally when systems of linear equations come up: anywhere where a solution of n equations in m unknowns arises, matrices (and their simpler operations) seem to follow.

There are some nice references on the history of matrices and matrix algebra on the net. Check out this site in the UK. It's sometimes hard to reach, but worth the wait!

These are some more general sources on the history of all the various fields of mathematics:

http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/mathhist/mathhist.html

http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistoryTopics.html

There's also a very readable on-line book about the origins of linear algebra, which is what makes matrices really worthwhile to mathematicians! :) The URL for this text is:

The Inventor of Linear Algebra