PRIMARY REPORT

REAL WORLD APPLICATION OF LINEAR ALGEBRA:

MATRICES
Cohort 2, Group 14
GROUP MEMBERS

Maxine Beni
Joel Alumasa
Elisee Ishimwe
Daphin Tona Mukomeza
Nimco Ibrahim
Yann Nguidjoi

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

❖ Research aims and objectives…………………………………………. 3

❖ Background/Executive Summary……………………………………... 3
❖ Problem statement……………………………………………………..3
❖ Secondary Research……………………………………………………4
❖ Findings and key research insights…………………………………... .6
❖ Applying Technology………………………………………………….7
❖ Conclusion……………………………………………………………..10
❖ References……………………………………………………………..10

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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Aim

The purpose of this research is to apply (linear algebra) in this case matrices to a real world
problem and help in solving it.

Objectives

1. To identify a real life problem that could be solved by matrices.

2. Examine previous case studies on the use of matrices in real life applications.
3. To show how these matrices can be applied to the problem that has been identified.
4. How technology can effectively be used to easily tackle the real life problem using
matrices.
5. Implement the solutions.

BACKGROUND TO THE CASE

Technological advancement has been a constant feature of human civilizations since the dawn of
the industrial era in the 18th century. Across time, advancements were certainly made all over
the world, but these advancements were limited in their use given the restrictions on quick
movement and the general rigidity of travel in those times. The industrial revolution changed that
– steam engines made it possible to move faster across oceans as well as on land with trains, and
thus the spread of new technology to other areas, as well as improvements made to such
technologies by others, was much more widespread. However, there is a peculiar sort of
dynamism associated with the progress of humanity that is quite fascinating to observe. As more
advancements are made, more problems arise – some of which seemed unimaginable before the
advent of such advancement. Thus problems are dynamic, changing and twisting as technology
marches forward. Below, such a problem is going to be explored, and the solution to it will be
done(or solved) using mathematical ideas developed during the peak of the industrial revolution.

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Costs constitute a vital part of commerce. A business that is efficient in minimizing its costs will
most certainly outperform businesses that are less cost-effective. We come to realize the
importance of cost efficiency when working within the bounds of a real-world scenario. Given
that there exists a trio of tailors who operate a costume shop and make various apparel for little

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children, we can examine this further. The tailors make two kinds of costumes – a type for little
girls and a type for little boys. Apparels for boys typically require 8 yards of fabric, 5 yards of
ribbon, and 4 packets on sequins. Girls’ apparels require 6 yards of fabric, 9 yards of ribbons,
and 5 packets of sequins. Let us carry on an assumption that fabric costs $6 per yard, ribbon
costs $5 per yard and sequins cost $5 per packet. Which kind of apparel, given these prices,
would be the cheapest to make, and thus enable the tailors to make it a niche to capitalize on
lower-cost/improve their cost-efficiency?

Secondary Research

Such a problem (outlined in the problem statement) can be tackled using concepts in linear
algebra such as vector theory and matrices. Vectors are linear collections of elements that deal
with the property of direction along a single dimension or along more than one dimension, as
well as the ensuing magnitude of movement in each direction. (23) would represent a vector with
a positive movement of 2 in the direction of a particular dimension, and a positive movement of
3 in the direction of another particular dimension. A matrix, like a vector, is also a collection of
numbers. However, unlike vectors, matrices represent a ‘table’ of numbers rather than a list.
Thus, while vectors tell us about the magnitude of movement in certain directions, matrices
represent a transformation of one vector space to another vector space. An example of a matrix
could be

(Cliff notes, 2021)

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Matrices
Much of the machinery of linear algebra involves matrices, which are rectangular arrays of
numbers.The size or dimensions of a matrix are specified by stating the number of rows and the
number of columns it contains. If the matrix consists of m rows and n columns, it is said to be an
m by n (written m x n) matrix. For example, the matrices above are 3 by 3, since they contain 3
rows and 3 columns .(Cliff notes, 2021)

Some types of matrices include:

1 Row matrix
2 Column matrix
3 Null matrix
4 Square matrix

Applications of Matrices
Matrices have many applications in diverse fields such as science, engineering and mathematics.

Matrices are used in Computer Graphics, Optics, Economics and Cryptography only to name a
few.

Use of Matrices In Computer Graphics

Square matrices very easily represent linear transformation of objects. they're accustomed to
project three dimensional images into two dimensional planes within the field of graphics. In
Graphics, a digital image is treated as a matrix to begin with. The rows and columns of the
matrix correspond to rows and columns of pixels and therefore the numerical entries correspond
to the pixels’ color values. Using matrices to govern to some extent could be a common
mathematical approach in game graphics Matrices also are accustomed to express graphs. Every
graph are often represented as a matrix, each column and every row of a matrix may be a node
and therefore the value of their intersection is the strength of the connection between them.
Matrix operations like translation, rotation and sealing are utilized in graphics.(Vedantu, 2021).

Use of Matrices in Science

Matrices are utilized in the science world of optics to account for reflection and for refraction.
Matrices also are useful in electrical circuits and quantum physics and resistor conversion of
voltage. Matrices are accustomed to solve AC network equations in electric circuits. (Vedantu,
2021)

Application of matrices in business and economics

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The idea of application of matrices in business is that you just have multiple inputs and you have
got multiple outputs, and you're trying to predictively model changes in dependent variables, by
examining the impact of diverse independent variables that do provide explanation. The
coefficient factors of the variables used lend themselves to a matrix form. This can be how
application of matrices in business is employed.(Vedantu, 2021)

FINDINGS AND CONCEPT APPLICATION TO THE PROBLEM

Concept Application to the problem

Problem Statement scenario: Apparels for boys typically require 8 yards of fabric, 5 yards of
ribbon, and 4 packets on sequins. Girls’ apparels require 6 yards of fabric, 9 yards of ribbons,
and 5 packets of sequins. Let us carry on an assumption that fabric costs $6 per yard, ribbon
costs $5 per yard and sequins cost $5 per packet.

In the above scenario mentioned in the problem statement, matrices applied in business would
solve the tailor’s problem. They need to know the apparel that would be the cheapest to make
inorder to maximize their profits. Matrices would help solve this problem as they are best suited
for data that are dependent on multiple parameters (Gupta, 2021)

Step 1 would be to write the coefficients of the apparel items in a matrix

Step 2: write the costs in a one column matrix

Step 3: multiply the 2 matrices

= (93, 106)

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Step 4 is to write the units.

The above matrix is a matrix for the costs. The boys’ apparel will cost $93 and the girls’ apparel
will cost $106.

The tailors are now able to tell the prices of both apparels having considered all the other
dependent parameters involved in the decision making process. They can either develop a niche
by choosing to make a particular type of clothing and/or align their business with the most cost
efficient model.

USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Matrices are simple to use and understand. But, the actual problem starts when it is getting
complex. But, you can easily solve it using Wolfram Alpha. It enables us to do basic arithmetic
like the addition of matrices and subtraction of matrices. It also solves more complex problems
like computing the Eigenvectors and Eigenvalues of a matrix.

Linear algebra uses the tools and methods of vector and matrix operations to determine the
properties of linear systems. Wolfram|Alpha's rigorous computational knowledge of topics such
as vectors, vector spaces, and matrix theory is a great resource for calculating and exploring the
properties of vectors and matrices, the linear independence of vectors, and the vector spaces
underlying sets of vectors and matrices.

Finding the cheaper option makes use of the multiplication of matrices on WolframALpha. This
is the multiplication of one matrix which contains the coefficients and the other containing the
prices.

Use of Wolfram Alpha to solve the above mentioned problem

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Limitations of WolframAlpha

The limitations of WolframAlpha is that one has to manually input values in these matrices and
some may be very complex and confusing. Knowing where to put the coefficients ie either in the
row or column may cause mistakes in the whole solving of the problem and therefore give out
wrong results and information that would not help to solve the problem.WolframAlpha does not
have the option to input a 1×3 matrix and this is limiting for cases when we need to use such a
matrix. Computations only have 2×2 and 3×2 going forward. WolframAlpha also has limitations
when it comes to very large matrices only having the highest input of a 5×5 matrix.
Available matrices in WolframAlpha and their orientations.

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CONCLUSION
The above information gives insight into the modern issues facing several sectors of commerce
and development, as well as society as a whole, and how mathematics and technology can be
applied in solving them. Given the speed at which technological advancements are occurring in
the 21st century, there is a general discrepancy between the contribution of mathematics and
technology and society’s acknowledgement of their importance.
Vectors and matrices, a topic discussed in this report, was shown to be able to mitigate the effects
of cost-inefficiency within a simple commercial endeavor - a tailor shop. The ensuing discovery
of how much the costs would be and how such a discovery could mitigate cost inefficiency
further reiterates the importance of vectors and matrices as well as mathematics in general.

REFERENCES
1. 2021. [online] Available at:
<https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/algebra/linear-algebra/matrix-algebra/matrice
s> [Accessed 22 October 2021].
2. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.vedantu.com/maths/application-of-matrices>
[Accessed 22 October 2021].
3. Gupta, A., 2021. Applications of Matrices to Business and Economics. [online]
Scribd.com. Available at:
<https://www.scribd.com/doc/19613606/Applications-of-Matrices-to-Business-and-Econ
omics> [Accessed 23 October 2021].

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Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGG1Ycjpo94

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