Product Description
Text stresses use of matrices in study of transformations of the plane. Familiarizes reader with role of matrices in abstract algebraic systems and illustrates its effective use as mathematical tool in geometry. Includes proofs of most theorems. Answers to odd-numbered exercises.
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Customer Reviews (1)

Good Introduction to Matrices.Great Price.
This fairly short Dover re-print edition is a good self-tutorial for students new to matrices.This book was originally published several years ago. but the mathematical notation is consistent with current texts.Thefirst two chapters are moderately paced, covering such topics as real andcomplex matrices, Hermitian matrices, the inverse and rank of a matrix, anda brief introduction to systems of linear equations. The third chapter is abit unique in focusing on application of matrices to transformations of theplane. I have encountered this topic in bits and pieces in various textsand I found this overview both interesting and helpful.

The finalchapter, titled Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors, was a bit too concise,touching too briefly on more complicated topics like diagonalization ofmatrices, Hamilton-Cayley Theorem, and quadratic forms. I recommend workingthrough the fourth chapter (this is a short book) rather quickly to get abasic understanding, but then moving to more detailed treatments ofeigenvalues and related topics elsewhwere. As a follow-up, I recommendanother Dover edition - An Introduction to Matrices, Sets, ad Groups forScience Students.However, this text assumes substantial familiarity withmanipulation of determinants.

All in all, this book is a good buy and agood starting point for studying matrices. ... Read more

Product Description
This revision of a well-known text includes more sophisticated mathematical material. A new section on applications provides an introduction to the modern treatment of calculus of several variables, and the concept of duality receives expanded coverage. Notations have been changed to correspond to more current usage. ... Read more

Product Description
Reveals the ancient mathematical principles refuting the notion of the solar system as an accidental creation.

• Reveals how ancient civilizations encoded their secret knowledge of the sky in mythology, music, and sacred measures.

• Shows how modern culture can benefit from the ancient astronomical and astrological worldview based on number.

• Shows the role of ratio and harmonic proportions in the creation of the material world.

Humanity's understanding of number was deeper and richer when the concept of creation was rooted in direct experience. But modern sensibility favors knowledge based exclusively on physical laws. We have forgotten what our ancestors once knew: that numbers and their properties create the forms of the world. Ancient units of measurement held within them the secrets of cosmic proportion and alignment that are hidden by the arbitrary decimal units of modern mathematical thinking.

Sacred numbers arose from ancient man's observations of the heavens. Just as base ten numbers relate to the fingers and toes in terms of counting, each celestial period divides into the others like fingers revealing the base numbers of planetary creation. This ancient system made the art of counting a sacramental art, its units being given spiritual meanings beyond just measurement. The imperial yard, for example, retains a direct relationship to the Equator, the length of a day and a year, and the angular values of Earth, Moon, and Jupiter.

The ancients encoded their secret knowledge of the skies within mythology, music, monuments, and units of sacred measurement. They understood that the ripeness of the natural world is the perfection of ratio and realized that the planetary environment--and time itself--was a creation of number. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Planetary Orbits - What Goes Around Comes Around
Four stars are for the concepts the book presents, not because it is particularly well written.It is interesting and develops some incredible relationships. In particular, matrices can be constructed using celestial periods which yield musical harmonics, and that the stability of our solar system is based on an intricate system of energies from all the other planets and our moon.

But... Although I've got a degree in math, I'm not real familiar with astronomy.In some chapters, I had to stop several times, get online, find out the point this author was trying to make, then go back to this book once I figured it out.It was a lot of work, and it didn't need to be this difficult to present.

Here's a prime example from page 38: "As seen in the last chapter, the practical year is divided into five equal pieces by the eightfold, Fibonacci-based synodic year of Venus."
This could have easily read, "Five Venus orbits equal eight Earth orbits, and this 8:5 ratio approximates the Golden Mean."Whew! It may not sound as intellectual, but you don't have to re-read it five times to get the meaning.

On a positive aspect, the figures (drawings) showing relationships between orbital periods, days, etc. were excellent and a great aid in visualizing the relationships.

Even with the difficulties, it is well worth reading.

Astonishing
An incredible work. This is the type of information we should have been studying in school, not the nonsense that passes for today's education.

Was the solar syatem designed?
Why do the "Intelligent Design" people put all their effort into demolishing a superior system of biology. The best indications of design are in the numerical facts of the solar system where the golden mean is found and the numbers of the orbit of the moon match those of the orbit of Jupiter. Richard Heath, continuing a path pioneered by John Mitchell and others presents facts that are hard to digest.Yes, I would like read a debunking of what is presented here, but I have a feeling that I will not get one. The book is sometimes difficult to follow, and one must read some parts more than once to understand them. Constantly one feels that this cannot be. The measurements of the bodies in our solar system must be just happenstance.They cannot fit together in a numeric system as presented here.So is Heath twisting the numbers? Apparently not. Then what does it mean that this is so?Certainly this is a challenge for science, but it actually an even bigger one for the dogmatists of our age. The so-called "Intelligent Design" people will not accept this because to do so requires an acceptance of older gods. ... Read more

Product Description
This book gives a comprehensive, integrated coverage of metal matrix composites, including the background to analytical-, experimental-, production-, and application-oriented aspects.Clear pictorial descriptions are given of the basic principles governing various properties and characteristics.These encompass mechanical, thermal, electrical, environmental, and wear behavior. Coverage also extends to material processing and component fabrication aspects and a survey of commercial usage. ... Read more

Product Description
This book features a unified derivation of the mathematical theory of the three classical types of invariant random matrix ensembles--orthogonal, unitary, and symplectic. The authors follow the approach of Tracy and Widom, but the exposition here contains a substantial amount of additional material, in particular, facts from functional analysis and the theory of Pfaffians. The main result in the book is a proof of universality for orthogonal and symplectic ensembles corresponding to generalized Gaussian type weights following the authors' prior work. New, quantitative error estimates are derived. The book is based in part on a graduate course given by the first author at the Courant Institute in fall 2005. Subsequently, the second author gave a modified version of this course at the University of Rochester in spring 2007. Anyone with some background in complex analysis, probability theory, and linear algebra and an interest in the mathematical foundations of random matrix theory will benefit from studying this valuable reference. ... Read more

Product Description
Fresh thinking and new insights on the nature of science in relation to faith, showing particularly that (1) true science does not need to be and in fact is not hostile to religious faith, and (2) evangelical Christians in general need not be either fearful of nor hostile toward scientific endeavor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
This book is by far the best introduction to a Christian scientific worldview. The author weaves together philosophy of science, history, the scientific literature in evolutionary biology and neuroscience, theology and sociology to mount a compelling case for a theistic 'matrix' for science. This is not your usual 'science and religion need not be at odds' homily. Alexander wants to rehabilitate the context within which science first flourished, namely Christian theism. The chapters on history are fascinating, while Alexander's critique of evolutionary naturalism, focusing on morality in an evolutionary context, is one of the most balanced and scientifically rigorous I have ever seen (unlike the politically motivated attacks of the like of Lewontin, Gould, et al.). Far away from the heat and dust generated by the futile Intelligent Design debate, in Darwin's homeland, orthodox Christian scholars work passionately in science for the glory of God. In a way it is the Christian equivalent of E.O. Wilson's "Consilience", and even more convincing. A must read.

intro to how science and religion do/ought to interact
A 6 star book on a 5 star rating system, truely one of those must read now type of books. Not just for those interested in the immediate topic of how do science and religion interact, but those interested in how scientists can use their training to illuminate topics outside their field with both caution and great value. In many interesting ways it is like another book i greatly appreciated _Modern Physics, Ancient Faith_. One of the striking parallels is the type of person that wrote each, the intensity of their desire to communicate their insights to the general public, the book as a long term work of love, and their use of science as a support for their theological viewpoints while very conscious of science's limitations in the discussion.

Pick up the book, unlike most books you can start reading almost anywhere to get an idea of the writing and topic. It is written to a generally educated audience, avoids jargon, shows evidence that it was written over a long time, i suspect 15-20 years as a passion outside of the author's professional life. It is remarkably evenly written, the only chapter i saw dipping in intensity or interest was 11="Determined to Love?: A Critique of Evolutionary Naturalism'. It is a rebuttal of M.Ruse's _Taking Darwin Seriously_ and its sociobiological/evolutionary psychology viewpoint.

The first part of the book, culminating in an excellent motif in chapter 7="The Warfare Mechants: The Roots of Modern Science (4)- Darwin, Evolution and the Victorian Conflict Thesis", is a historical introduction to the topic of how science and theology/religion have interacted in Western history. IMHO, he has hit all the important peaks in the discussion and dwells on the issues that are really important. These chapters alone are worth the effort to read and understand what he is saying, plus they really illustrate the author's committment to truth, both in its ethical and historical dimensions. Debunking such issues as flat earth and the conflict thesis in the late 1900's.

The chapters 8="Reweaving the Rainbow: Scientific Knowledge and Religious Knowledge", 9=headquarters Nights: Creation and Evolution" and 10="The Fox and the Hedgehog: Does Evolution have any Religious Implications" are the heart of the book. The technic is historical and follows the great discussions as people try to unwind their world and life view and interact with the issues in their culture and society. He has a very good grasp of the literature but what makes the arguments both interesting and significant is that he brings an organizational talent to the discussion that breaks up and prioritizes the pieces in a unique and valuable way. You can see that he has this book point: science and religion share a common world but they do not divide it up either mutually exclusively but with some overlap, nor mutually exhaustively. But to get us to where he is, takes knowledge by adding to our's and unlearning many false things that have become 'common wisdom' although they are both wrong and self-serving. The take home message is that science and religion deal with reality in a different way, with different tools, for different purposes, but both are the effort of people and as such are rooted in our psychology and world views. The last few chapters from 11 to the end are catching up on several topics of importance to the author which he wanted to expand upon but didnt fit into the historical analysis of the earlier chapters. The insightfulness doesn't lag, nor did my interest with these big asides, although i found the last chapter shorter and less intensive than i would expect in a book of this magnitude. The closing was weak because i think he realized he had made the important points earlier and only needed to review the big picture.

I hope you pick up the book and find it as useful as i did, it will occupy a valued space both in my bookshelf and in my arguments to these issues.

A Useful Book
Why is there order in the universe?
And why is this order comprehensible
or discoverable at all, even if, in part?
What are the implications of a comprehensive
order in the universe?

As noted in this book,
the theistic framework of Christianity
is helpful.

Fighting a losing battle
This book is at its best when describing the interaction of science and religion over time. However when trying to justify Christianity as a reasonable way to view reality (ultimate or otherwise) the book falls flat. The author like many of his ilk tries to fall back on a line of thinking which is kind of like "because science doesn't know everything about everything you should therefore accord my worldview a certain legitimacy by default".
Sometimes the author is just clearly misinformed such as when on p. 446 he says ""There has only ever been a single occasion when water was allegedly turned into wine......" Sorry Dr. Alexander but a little reading of ancient and mystery religions would refute that point quite nicely. Dr. Alexander of course might respond that in Jesus' case this really happened whereas the other accounts are just "myth and legends".
As someone who works in the field of science, the only concept of God I can even begin to believe in is the Deist one. The God of revealed religions is just "God in the image of man". ... Read more

Product Description
This book will include papers on recent research carried out in the field of metal-matrix composites (MMCs). Processing, microstructure, and mechanical properties of MMCs and unreinforced matrix alloys will be covered with a focus on aluminum, titanium, nickel, and copper MMCs. Those involved in the research of MMCs and unreinforced alloys, particularly in aerospace, space, and automotive materials research, will find this volume indispensible.

From Materials Science & Technology 2003 to be held in Chicago, Illinois, November 9-12, 2003. ... Read more

Product Description
New discoveries reveal how crucial interactions which determine our destiny occur before birth, when our genes interact with their environment as the embryo and fetus develop. These processes - in the matrix of the womb - are evolutionary echoes of mechanisms which allowed our hunter-gatherer ancestors to survive. These exciting insights into predictive adaptive responses suggest new ways of protecting the health of the fetus, infant and adult. If inappropriate they can trigger obesity, diabetes and heart disease, formerly thought to result solely from adult lifestyle. The new concepts in this book are crucial to understanding the daunting public health burden in societies undergoing rapid transition from poverty to affluence. They add an important new dimension to evolutionary theory. Synthesising developmental biology, evolutionary history, medical science, public health and social policy, this is a ground-breaking and fascinating account by two of the world's leading pioneers in this important emerging field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Review: The Fetal Matrix
The Fetal Matrix is a lucid, detailed and comprehensive account of the fetal environment's effects on health, disease and mortality in the middle and later years of the human life cycle. It is the product of years of fertile research collaboration between its distinguished authors. Professor Peter D. Gluckman is University Distinguished Professor and Director, National Research Centre for Growth and Development, University of Auckland and a foreign member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences (USA). Professor Mark Hanson is Director, The Centre for Fetal Origins of Adult Disease, Southampton University and a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (UK). The book is intended for a broad readership that includes researchers in developmental and evolutionary biology, prenatal medicine, epidemiology, health policy and educated lay people.

Professors Gluckman and Hanson follow up on the path-breaking epidemiological work of Professor David Barker (Mothers, Babies and Health in Later Life), which caused a major stir in medical and public health circles by indicating that disease causes were not exclusively or primarily the result of simplified genetic "traits" or life-style factors. Events unfolding in utero were an essential part of the story. In Chapter One, Gluckman and Hanson provide a nice primer for understanding gene regulation in response to environmental signals. For a more detailed exposition the reader might want to read Matt Ridley's Nature Via Nurture, and, though more technical, Massimo Pigliucci's Phenotypic Plasticity, Mary Jane West-Eberhard's monumental and prize-winning Developmental Plasticity And Evolution and A. R. Cellura's The Genomic Environment And Niche-Experience. In Chapter Two, the authors present a wealth of information from their specialties in embryological and fetal physiology and prenatal medicine, which for the non-specialist will likely be worth the price of the book. (Incidentally, each chapter stands on its own so readers can pick and chose according to their interests.) Chapters Three, Seven and Eight contain a detailed exposition of the authors' concept of the "predictive adaptive response" through which they integrate concepts from genetics, fetal physiology, the extra-uterine environment and evolutionary theory. In Chapters Five and Six specific connections are made between in utero genetic switching, the extra-uterine environment and diseases that often emerge in later life such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Chapters Nine and Ten focus on the health policy implications of the authors' findings.

The Fetal Matrix is well written with many interesting examples provided to illuminate key points of the authors' thesis. An excellent index is provided and a bibliography from the scientific literature of almost 500 citations. I recommend it highly as a contribution to the rapidly growing literature on developmental plasticity, genomic regulation and human physiological adaptive processes.
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Product Description
This book gives a coherent and detailed description of analytical methods devised to study random matrices. These methods are critical to the understanding of various fields in in mathematics and mathematical physics, such as nuclear excitations, ultrasonic resonances of structural materials, chaotic systems, the zeros of the Riemann and other zeta functions. More generally they apply to the characteristic energies of any sufficiently complicated system and which have found, since the publication of the second edition, many new applications in active research areas such as quantum gravity, traffic and communications networks or stock movement in the financial markets.

This revised and enlarged third edition reflects the latest developements in the field and convey a greater experience with results previously formulated. For example, the theory of skew-orthogoanl and bi-orthogonal polynomials, parallel to that of the widely known and used orthogonal polynomials, is explained here for the first time.

· Presentation of many new results in one place for the first time.
· First time coverage of skew-orthogonal and bi-orthogonal polynomials and their use in the evaluation of some multiple integrals.
· Fredholm determinants and Painlevé equations.
· The three Gaussian ensembles (unitary, orthogonal, and symplectic); their n-point correlations, spacing probabilities.
· Fredholm determinants and inverse scattering theory.
· Probability densities of random determinants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The canonical book of random matrices
Mehta's book is the book that gets refered toin every article that deals with random matrices.It covers classical theory of random matrices well, but omits many important developments such as chiral random matrices.'Random matrices' is somewhat pricey but it is nevertheless the best bookthere is on theory of random matrices. Unfortunately. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Fasinating!!!! Must read, thought provolking...
Ley lines, feng shui has its chi... but what about underlying relationship of earth to man? This book really is a welcome addition to understanding relationship of life, especially the earth(land- Gaia) with man (his activities and responses). When you thought you knew it all, along comes a work that puts a whole new dimension to life. It's a great book for youth to adults. Not new age(y) -- but does put things into perspective.
A must read, seminal work.
Spiritual yet non denominational, what all religions have as a foundation-- yet not a religious book.
Refreshing and a book to have as your own. Beautifully printed, a quality paper and finishing. Illustrations are (as needed to describe the first ever published material) very detailed. Set up as a workbook with large format and a place to put in your own observations. Well designed visually. Three other authors apply the information and extend it into other rhelms. ... Read more

Product Description
Clear and concise introduction to matrices with elegant proofs; Of interest to scientists from many disciplines; Gives many interesting applications to different parts of mathematics, such as algebra, analysis and complexity theory; Contains 160 exercises, half of them on advanced material; Includes at least one advanced result per chapter ... Read more

Product Description
The Matrix films, along with the video games, anime and toys inspired by them, are rich with philosophical, religious and social references that cry out for interpretation. Here, these ideas are examined in the context of the history of thought and cinema. The variety of applications in this study is remarkable, engaging thinkers ranging from conservative Christians to postmodernist critics. Feminist issues meet cyberpunk, cosmological perspectives meet mythological and literary analysis. Violence in society, American values, politics, heroic models - all are called into question as several esteemed scholars decode the entire world of the Matrix franchise. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The ONLY book on the Matrix you need
This is far and away the best work on the Matrix films. It is the only one that covers the entire franchise; the films, the games, the pop culture aspects. Doty's introduction is amazing, while the other chapters manage to cover just about every aspect of the series you can imagine.

Highly useful for anyone interested in figuring out which colored pill to take.

Superb writing, accessible and insightful
This is unquestionably the best quality book in a field crowded with poseurs and worse.See particularly the essays by Wilhelm & Kapell, John Shelton Lawrence, Flannery-Dailey & Wagner, and Mizelle & Baker. Accessibly written, enlightening, intellectually stimulating, with touches of humor that delight and intrigue, this book is worth every penny. The primary editor, Kapell, along with the highly competent Dr. Doty, have selected papers which are reflexive, more than capably developed, and multi-faceted in their approaches to the Matrix franchise. Enjoy this literate and worthy book!

A Good Read
Jacking In to the Matrix Franchise is the red pill that makes us understand the world ofthe Matrix in ways we could not while we were immersed in it, since the volume's essays serve as a comprehensive look into the Matrix franchise, not just the film trilogy composed by The Matrix, The Matrix: Reloaded, and The Matrix: Revolutions. For the Matrix directors, Andy and Larry Wachowski, orchestrated an array of artistic endeavors, including a collection of short anime stories entitled The Animatrix, the video game Enter The Matrix and the The Matrix comics as alternative texts that provide background or side narratives to Reloaded and Revolutions. In the Fall of 2004, the Matrix saga will continue in the form of a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, The Matrix Online.

As co-editor William G. Doty claims in the introduction, Jacking In situates the franchise in the context of "the history of thought"-from Romanticism to Postmodernism and the posthuman-and in the context of cinema. Accordingly, the volume is multidisciplinary in scope, though it remains firmly set in the humanities and social sciences, as shown by the authors' credentials: Religion and Culture, Comparative Ethnic Studies, English, Philosophy, History, Anthropology...

Besides Doty's introduction, other highlights of Jacking In include John Shelton Lawrence's reading of the film trilogy as a fascist narrative, and Frances Flannery-Dailey and Rachel L. Wagner's analysis of the franchise's problematic connection of violence and religious themes.

Jacking In also includes a useful appendix with a glossary of names and terms used in the franchise, plus a collection of internet sites by theme and a short bibliography of recommended readings. ... Read more

Product Description

Matrix Algebra is a vital mathematical tool in the social sciences, and the techniques and vocabulary of the subject are essential for an understanding of advanced statistics -- yet many social scientists have only a rudimentary grasp of them.

This volume serves as a complete introduction to matrix algebra, requiring no background knowledge beyond basic school algebra. Namboodiri's presentation is smooth and readable: it begins with the basic definitions and goes on to explain elementary manipulations and the concept of linear dependence. He then introduces the more difficult concept of eigenvalues and eigenvectors, supplying illustrations through fully-worked examples. Every chapter closes with a summary of the key concepts and definitions, useful to the beginner.

Customer Reviews (3)

Great introduction
This is a great introduction to matrix algebra. It reads very easily and presents the basics in an intuitive way. While it lacks the dense details and proofs one might want in a more advanced book, it did give me a great framework in which to put those dense details into. I read this in a few days, and found my matrix algebra studies went much better afterward. This is a great investment for anyone preparing for an in depth study of matrix algebra, or anyone wanting to brush up on the basics.

Matrix Math the Hard Way
Krishnan Namboodiri sets out to remedy the problem that "...social science majors and graduate students often fail to go far enough in mathematics to get a thorough grounding in [matrix algebra]."This little green book covers the ground in four chapters and 96 pages.

The author begins by introducing basic matrix concepts and terminology, moving quickly to matrix operations such as addition, multiplication, and inversion.The central concept of linear dependence of sets of matrix rows and matrix columns is then explored, including the implications of this concept for solving simultaneous linear equations.The final chapter introduces the concepts of determinants, eigenvectors and eigenvalues.Applications to principle components analysis are illustrated in the books closing sections.

I read this book as part of a three-week online review course in matrix algebra.Its strengths were the discussion of practical applications and its conciseness.These strengths are counterbalanced by disappointing weaknesses.The dense, formula-driven presentation style made the book hard to follow.A glossary and index would have greatly aided mastery of a large number of new terms and concepts.In the end, I was helped more in the class by free materials I found by searching the web than by this book.I was annoyed that I had purchased it.

After further searching, I became a grateful reader of Charles Cullen's Matrices and Linear Transformations, which is more clear, covers more material, includes numerous practice exercises--and requires less of a little green investment.Save yourself some pain and go directly to Cullen.

The book is great!
I like this book. It arrives on time and quite new. It's concise and easy to learn. ... Read more

Product Description
These notes were developed from a course taught at Rice University in the spring of 1976 and again at the University of Hawaii in the spring of 1977. It is assumed that the students know some linear algebra and a little about differentiation of vector-valued functions. The idea is to introduce some students to some of the concepts of Lie group theory--all done at the concrete level of matrix groups. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Don't judge a book by its... typeset?
Now hold on just a minute. A couple of things just out front: the material this book covers as concisely in one volume is not to be found elsewhere (as of December 2001). So that by itself is one of its strongest features. As for the typeset, yes it is not in a fancy TeX format with pretty commutative diagrams that most of us are used to in this day. It was not uncommon in the late seventies to have lecture notes or conference proceedings of deep importance (and the material here is) rushed to the publisher, and in the haste not too much effort being spent on the presentation. Perhaps that's off-putting to some people: particularly undergraduates or new graduate students who've not met this material before. However, if you're familiar with basic properties of Lie groups, differential geometry and some basic topology then Matrix Groups will be a pleasure to read. As for the more than occaisional errors in the original edition, this second edition is very well corrected, and has an additional chapter on root systems. Honestly, this really is a remarkable book, particularly in its uniqueness as a short and beautiful introduction to GL(n,K) and its Lie subgroups: amalgamating in with them aspects of topology (compactness, connectedness), differential geometry (tangent spaces...etc) and beyond. So if you're looking for nice TeX presentation (gothic notation and the like): you might find it difficult to enjoy the material in this volume. But is that doesn't bother you, I recommend it very strongly.

Don't judge a book by its... typeset?
Now hold on just a minute. A couple of things just out front: the material this book covers as concisely in one volume is not to be found elsewhere (as of December 2001). So that by itself is one of its strongest features. As for the typeset, yes it is not in a fancy TeX format with pretty commutative diagrams that most of us are used to in this day. It was not uncommon in the late seventies to have lecture notes or conference proceedings of deep importance (and the material here is) rushed to the publisher, and in the haste not too much effort being spent on the presentation. Perhaps that's off-putting to some people: particularly undergraduates or new graduate students who've not met this material before. However, if you're familiar with basic properties of Lie groups, differential geometry and some basic topology then Matrix Groups will be a pleasure to read. As for the more than occaisional errors in the original edition, this second edition is very well corrected, and has an additional chapter on root systems. Honestly, this really is a remarkable book, particularly in its uniqueness as a short and beautiful introduction to GL(n,K) and its Lie subgroups: amalgamating in with them aspects of topology (compactness, connectedness), differential geometry (tangent spaces...etc) and beyond. So if you're looking for nice TeX presentation (gothic notation and the like): you might find it difficult to enjoy the material in the is volume. But is that doesn't bother you, I recommend it very srongly.

Don't be so hard on this book
Evan Morgan was unduly hard on this book.True the typsetting is bad, but its not unreadable.I learned a lot from this book.It develops matrix group theory from very few prerequisites.I have one complaint: the problem sections seem unrelated to the chapters, but all in all I learned a lot from this book and found it very helpful.

don't buy this book
The typeface of the book is courier and appears to have been originally written on a typewriter and then photocopied.This is a nuisance.The notation they use is terrible (thanks to the typewriter).Moreimportantly, the explanantions and proofs of ideas and theorems are notgood at all.I think the book was copied directly from some professorslecture notes (for a course he has taught 30 times already) which makesevery thing very cryptic. Good luck learning anything from this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

My Favorite Book on the Finite Element Method
This book remains a great intellectual achievement, right up there with the works of Timoshenko. I've been able to write several quite useful programs using various element stiffness matrices spelled-out explicitly in this volume.

Other books that I've read on F.E.M. seem to banter around the subject in obtuse mathematical terms. Przemieniecki derives ever step - and most importantly - he gives complete element stiffness matrices! I have copied very large 12 x 12 element stiffness matrices from this book into space frame and plate analysis programs that I've written with excellent results.

The book derives stiffness and dynamic matrices properties, essentially using the principle of minimization of potential energy. The book does not go into other types of problems such as heat-flow, torsion or fluid flow. But for structural engineers, like myself, I think that it's best to learn first the solution of stiffness problems to get a grasp of what F.E.M. is about.

The best $10.95 I've spent on a book (when it was easily available in bookstores). If you are into writing F.E.M. programs and if you can find this book, get it!

It's Greate for Starting On It
This book helped me starting in my acknowledgments of Matrix Analysis. It's suggested for everyone who wants to get in to the matrix analysis. ... Read more

Product Description
Matrix Methods: Applied Linear Algebra, 3e, as a textbook, provides a unique and comprehensive balance between the theory and computation of matrices. The application of matrices is not just for mathematicians. The use by other disciplines has grown dramatically over the years in response to the rapid changes in technology. Matrix methods is the essence of linear algebra and is what is used to help physical scientists; chemists, physicists, engineers, statisticians, and economists solve real world problems.

* Applications like Markov chains, graph theory and Leontief Models are placed in early chapters
* Readability- The prerequisite for most of the material is a firm understanding of algebra
* New chapters on Linear Programming and Markov Chains
* Appendix referencing the use of technology, with special emphasis on computer algebra systems (CAS) MATLAB ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Lessons from history on strategy and decision making
The formal study of decision making has traditionally been carried out using one of two basic approaches: descriptive (based on empirical findings) or normative (grounded on theoretical constructs). [A third approach, called prescriptive, typically adapts generic normative frameworks to the particular circumstances of individuals or groups so as to devise a custom-made plan of action.] The descriptive approach mainly employs behavioral research methods while the normative tends to rely on the analysis of mathematical models. In the "Risk" series of books, author Alan Axelrod draws on his extensive writing experience in political and military history to provide a somewhat different although immensely valuable source of empirical cases, namely, notable historical events.

At present, the "Risk" series consists of two books: "Risk: The Decision Matrix: Strategies That Win", and its companion volume, "Risk: Adversaries and Allies: Mastering Strategic Relationships". The title of the series refers to Hasbro's global domination board game, Risk, which Axelrod uses in the identically worded introductions to both books as a concrete instantiation of abstract game theory, which in turn is presented as the apposite normative theory for rational decision making under conditions of competition as well as cooperation. However, neither the board game nor the theory itself is discussed to any significant extent in either book, nor is the reader presumed to know anything about them.

"The Decision Matrix" devotes the first chapter to the art of visualizing the decision. This requires, the author explains, a five-dimensional "space of real life" in which to map our position and those of other players, in constrast to the far simpler two-dimensional board used in Risk. The five dimensions, called the Five Ps, are Problem (what you are trying to solve), Position (yours relative to other players), Possibilities (solution alternatives or choices), Proposal (means by which you intend to transform a Possibility into reality), and Price (the cost of implementing the decision). This is followed by a seven-point list of suggested tactics for influencing others in order to create conditions conducive to your success.

The remaining nine chapters take a different tack; each presents a historical episode involving an important decision. The cases discussed are Bismarck and the birth of modern diplomacy, the kudzu miracle plant and the ecological problems caused by this invasive species, FDR's fireside chats and their effect on the American masses, FDR and the selling of the New Deal (required reading for BHO), island hopping your way into Japan, FedEx and the reinvention of express shipping by means of a term paper, the Triangular Diplomacy of Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger and Chou En-Lai; trickle-down Reaganomics and its effect on the American masses, and the great Northeast Power Blackout of 2003, which sheds some light on the hefty consequences confronted when dealing with complex systems. A bibliography and index are included.

The contents of the companion volume, RISK: Adversaries and Allies: Mastering Strategic Relationships, are detailed in a separate review for that title.

Do the books succeed in furnishing useful lessons from history on the elements of strategy and decision making? I believe they do. Most, perhaps all, of the stories are already generally well known, but there is a certain added value in collecting and presenting them as salient didactic examples. They make for quick and easy reading on a subject that at times can seem a bit abstruse, especially when tackled from the normative end of the spectrum. And since the little books are physically quite attractive --handsomely hard bound in pleasing colors-- they would make an excellent gift for that special decision maker in your family or circle of friends. (The publisher should have thought of offering them as a boxed set: the perfect marketing strategy.) If all this sounds appealing to you, then I would suggest you consider acquiring your copies at your earliest convenience. ... Read more

Product Description
A complete, self-contained introduction to matrix analysis theory and practice

Matrix methods have evolved from a tool for expressing statistical problems to an indispensable part of the development, understanding, and use of various types of complex statistical analyses. This evolution has made matrix methods a vital part of statistical education. Traditionally, matrix methods are taught in courses on everything from regression analysis to stochastic processes, thus creating a fractured view of the topic. This updated second edition of Matrix Analysis for Statistics offers readers a unique, unified view of matrix analysis theory and methods.

Matrix Analysis for Statistics, Second Edition provides in-depth, step-by-step coverage of the most common matrix methods now used in statistical applications, including eigenvalues and eigenvectors; the Moore-Penrose inverse; matrix differentiation; the distribution of quadratic forms; and more. The subject matter is presented in a theorem/proof format, allowing for a smooth transition from one topic to another. Proofs are easy to follow, and the author carefully justifies every step. Accessible even for readers with a cursory background in statistics, yet rigorous enough for students in statistics, this new edition is the ideal introduction to matrix analysis theory and practice.

The book features:

• Self-contained chapters, which allow readers to select individual topics or use the reference sequentially
• Extensive examples and chapter-end practice exercises, many of which involve the use of matrix methods in statistical analyses
• New material on elliptical distributions and new expanded coverage of such topics as eigenvalue inequalities and matrices partitioned in 2 by 2 form, in particular, results relating the rank, generalized inverse, eigenvalues of such matrices to their submatrices, and much more
• Optional sections for mathematically advanced readers

Customer Reviews (1)

The principles of matrix algebra essential for advanced statistics
If queried, the mathematician that does not work in statistics will most likely not feel that there is a need for a separate course in matrices applied to statistics. There is no doubt that statisticians need to know a great deal about matrices, so the question comes down to whether the traditional math courses in linear algebra are sufficient. In either case, it is still of benefit to have one source that statisticians can consult as a reference for problems with matrices and this book can serve as that source.
Mathematicians with little experience in statistics will have no difficulty in understanding the contents of the book, as nearly all of it is mathematical rather than statistical in nature. The first three chapters are:

*) A review of elementary matrix algebra.
*) Vector spaces.
*) Eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

With the exception of ten pages devoted to random vectors in chapter 1, there were few major items gleaned from statistics. They could serve as the first three chapters of any book on matrix operations. While the remaining chapters do contain more statistical concepts, the overwhelming majority of the material does not involve problems in statistics. There are a large number of problems at the end of the chapters and solutions are not provided.
The remaining chapters are:

*) Matrix factorizations and matrix norms.
*) Generalized inverses.
*) Systems of linear equations.
*) Partitioned matrices.
*) Special matrices and matrix products.
*) Matrix derivatives and related topics.
*) Some special topics related to quadratic forms.

The level of difficulty is within the reach of an advanced undergraduate, although it was written for graduate students in statistics.In my opinion, previous experience in statistics would be helpful, but not required for a reader to understand the material. If you are looking for a book on matrix operations, this one will serve your purpose, independent of whether your focus is on statistics.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission. ... Read more