Matrix Operations on a Single Matrix

In this chapter, we will study the different ways of manipulating matrices and how to implement them in Python. Understanding how a matrix works broadly means understanding the fundamentals of how 2D or multidimensional arrays work. Once we have a good understanding of the basics of 2D matrices, those interested can delve into advanced studies of matrices, which includes special types of matrices such as sparse matrices, vector spaces, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors, which can involve more than two dimensions.

Matrices in Python can be implemented using either lists or arrays. Nested lists in Python work perfectly fine, but Python has a powerful package that makes matrix implementation much easier called NumPy. SciPy is another package that helps in matrix manipulation, but it is usually more suitable for larger matrix computations. We will be using both of these modules throughout this chapter.

Basic Operations on a Matrix

It is assumed...