Assistant Prof. Dr. Abubakar M.

Ashir
Course Name (Course Code): Linear Algebra (CMPE 241)
Week No. 1
Fall 2023/24
Date:
✓ Definition of Linear Algebra
✓ Linear Systems and Liner Operations
✓ Role of Vectors and Matrices
✓ Linear Algebra Perspectives
✓ Physic perspectives
✓ Robotics Engineering Perspective
✓ Computer Engineering Perspective
✓ Mathematics Perspective

✓ Examples of Linear Algebra Problems

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▪ Preamble
• Linear Algebra is one of the central and foundational topics in mathematics, science
and engineering.

• Linear Algebra fields of applications include subfields such as: Geometry, Robotics,
Functional Analysis, a branch of Mathematical Analysis, Machine Learning, Artificial
Intelligence, Data analytics, Computer Graphics, Animation and many more.

• Despite its universally amazing presence, Linear algebra is surprisingly simple and
intuitive to visualize in human minds.

• From engineering point of view, Liner Algebra can be closely associated with the
Linear systems theory, which involves two basic mathematical operations i.e.,
“Addition” and “Multiplication”
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What is algebra?
• The word Algebra originated from Arabic ‫الجبر‬- al-jabr which can be loosely
translated to 'reunion of broken parts’, is the study of variables and the rules for
manipulating these variables in formulas.
• It is a unifying thread of almost all of mathematics.
▪ Putting the pieces together, Linear Algebra applies linear operations and rules to
represents problems in mathematical forms with help of variables which are
connected by linear operators to find desired solutions to those problems.
Linear Algebra:
Is the study of variables and the rules for manipulating these variables in formulas
using linear operations.

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▪ What are Linear systems or Linear operations?
• Linear Systems: a system is said to be linear if it satisfies two basic conditions:
I. Homogeneity
II. Additivity
Homogeneity: is the property of a system that scales up/down its response in the
same proportion to the amount the input scales up/down.
▪ Assume a system represented by rectangle and let 𝒙 = 𝒊𝒏𝒑𝒖𝒕, 𝒚 = 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒑𝒖𝒕 and 𝒌 =
𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 which is also called a Scaler quantity.

System A System A
𝒙 𝒚 𝒌𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) 𝒌𝒚
𝒇(𝒙)
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▪ What are Linear systems or Linear operations?
• Homogeneous Systems:
• When 𝒌 > 𝟏, describe the behavior of the system.
• When 0< 𝒌 < 𝟏, describe the behavior of the system.
• When −𝟏 < 𝒌 < 𝟎, describe the behavior of the system
• When 𝒌 < −𝟏, describe the behavior of the system

System A
𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) 𝒌𝒚

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▪ What are Linear systems or Linear operations?
• Homogeneity property is a multiplicative operation which transforms an input by
scaling it up/down in accordance to the scalar quantity.

Additivity: is a property of a system or operation where superposition of inputs

produces an output equivalent to the sum of the individual system outputs of the
superimposed inputs.
System A
𝒙𝟏 𝒇(. ) 𝒚𝟏
System A
𝑥1 + 𝑥2 𝑓(. ) 𝑦1 + 𝑦2
System A
𝒙𝟐 𝒇(. ) 𝒚𝟐
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▪ What are Linear systems or Linear operations?
Summary: a system or an operation which exhibits both homogeneity and
additivity is called linear system or linear operation.
▪ In other words, Linear system operation involves 2 major operations thus:
1. Homogeneity /Scaling up/down /Scalar Multiplication
2. Additivity/ Addition of two or more quantities

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▪ Vectors and Matrices are at the heartbeat of Linear Algebra.
▪ For the sake of simplicity, we can view vectors and matrices as set of containers or
bags which hold collection of important quantities, variables or data points
which we intend to manipulate or perform operation on using linear operations (
Addition and Multiplication/Scaling).
▪ Example are vectors holding coordinates of points in 2- and 3-dimensional spaces.

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▪ Vectors and Matrices are at the heartbeat of Linear Algebra.

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▪ Vectors are data which are usually stack up together vertically to form a column.
▪ Matrices can be formed by putting together vectors columns in a single container
side by side.

▪ Matrices can also naturally occur as a two-dimensional space data. Example in

image

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▪ Vectors and Matrices: There is no universally definition to what vectors or matrices
should be or suppose to represent.
▪ Vectors and matrices mean different things to different people, fields and
professions.
▪ Let consider some prominent fields that frequently use linear algebra and see how
they view vectors and matrices.

1. Physics Perspective
2. Robotics Engineering Perspectives
3. Computer Engineering Perspectives
4. Mathematics Perspectives

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Physics Perspectives:
▪ vectors are often considered as quantities that have both magnitude and direction.
In other words, it is seen as an arrow in n-dimensional space where the tip of the
arrow represents the coordinates, and its length represents the magnitude.
▪ The length of the vector is the distance from the arrowhead to the reference point

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Physics Perspectives:

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▪ Robotics Engineering Perspective
▪ Robotics engineers may see vectors as set of points in 3-dimensional space which
represent points in the tool , robot or workpiece coordinate systems.

▪ They might be interested in

Knowing by how much to move the
tool to grab a workpiece using Linear
Algebra transformations

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▪ Computer Engineering Perspective
▪ Computer engineers see vectors and linear algebra in many ways depending on
application. Generally, they are seen as ordered list of items.
▪ These items could be formulated from real-life problems. Examples object
recognition in Machine Learning.

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▪ Computer Engineering Perspective
▪ Examples real estate.

𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒 1
𝑥1 =
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 1
𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒 2
𝑥2 =
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 2
𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒 3
𝑥3 =
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 3
𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒 4
𝑥4 =
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 4 17
Mathematics perspective
▪ How do mathematician see vectors ?
▪ It appears mathematician have more of a general approach to what a vector is.
They simply go with the wind.
▪ They might not have the emotional attachment to the
data in vectors as Engineers might.
▪ To mathematicians, vectors might just be points
in n-dimensional space or alternatively whatever
others defined it to be.

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▪ Examples 1
▪ Consider a laser cutting machine in 2-dimensional space with (x, y) representing
horizontal and vertical coordinates system respectively. Find the distance in both x
and y planes requires by the cutter tip to reach point at (8,9) if it starting from (3,8).

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▪ solution
3 8
▪ Let vector 𝑣 = represents the staring point and vector 𝑏 = be the destination
8 9
▪ From 𝑣, the cutter travels along the x-axis distance 𝑥, then it travels another
distance on the y-axis 𝑦 to reach 𝑏
𝑥 𝑣 + 𝑤 = 𝑏,
▪ Let 𝑤 =
𝑦 then,

3 𝑥 8 𝑥 8 3
+ 𝑦 = ⇒ 𝑦 = −
8 9 9 8

𝑥 8−3 5
𝑦 = = , therefore 𝑥=5 and 𝑦 = 1
9−8 1
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▪ Examples 2
▪ Distance between points P and Q is √17 unit. If the coordinates of Q is (3, 4) and the
y-coordinate of P is 0, then what are the possible coordinates for the point P?
solution

3 𝑥
Let Q = ,P = , QP = 17 then find 𝑥 =?
4 0

Using Pythagoras, ( 17)2 = (𝑥 − 3)2 +(4 − 0)2

Simplfying gives, 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 8 = 0

Solving for 𝑥 gives, 𝑥 = 2 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 4

2 4
P= or P = 21
0 0
1. Gilbert Strang. (2017). Introduction to Linear Algebra (5th. ed.). Wellesley-
Cambridge Press.
2. Norman, D., & Wolczuk, D. (2011). Introduction to linear algebra for science and
engineering. Pearson Education Inc.
3. Kolman, Bernard; Hill, David R. (2001). Introductory Linear Algebra with
Applications (7th Ed.).Prentice
Links
▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNk_zzaMoSs&list=PLZHQObOWTQDPD3MizzM2xVFitgF8hE_ab
▪ https://mathinsight.org/vector_introduction

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