ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Matrix (mathematics)

Matrix in mathematics is like a table that has rows and columns. Imagine a Lego board where bricks can be stacked up and down and left and right. These stacked bricks represent the numbers in the matrix.

Each number in a matrix is called an entry. Entries can be any number such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on.

A matrix can have different sizes, meaning it can have different numbers of rows and columns. For example, a matrix can have two rows and three columns, or three rows and three columns.

Matrices are used to solve problems in mathematics, like what happens when you have a lot of systems that need to be solved at the same time. It's like having a big puzzle with a lot of missing pieces, and each piece represents one equation you have to solve. Using matrices, we can organize each equation and find the values or solutions we need to complete the puzzle.

Matrices can also be used in computer programming to perform actions like moving, rotating or scaling graphic images or to solve equations to provide solutions for scientific experiments or statistics.