Matrix

A matrix is a rectangular array or table of numbers, symbols, or expressions, arranged in rows and columns, which is used to represent mathematical objects that can be manipulated with specific rules in linear algebra. The individual items in a matrix are called its elements or entries. Matrices are fundamental to various fields of mathematics, physics, engineering, and computer science, and they play a critical role in solving systems of linear equations, representing linear transformations, and encoding data for machine learning algorithms. In Hebrew, the term "matrix" is translated as מטריצה (pronounced "ma-tree-tza"). In other languages, the term is translated as Matriz in Spanish and Portuguese, Matrice in French, Matrix in German, and マトリックス (pronounced "ma-to-ri-kusu") in Japanese. The study of matrices began in the 19th century with work by mathematicians such as Arthur Cayley, who formalized many of the rules and operations that are now standard in matrix theory.