https://www.chenk.top/en/tags/norms/Recent content in Norms on Chen Kai BlogHugoenWed, 01 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000https://www.chenk.top/en/linear-algebra/01-the-essence-of-vectors/Wed, 01 Jan 2025 09:00:00 +0000https://www.chenk.top/en/linear-algebra/01-the-essence-of-vectors/<p><figure class="article-figure"> <img src="https://blog-pic-ck.oss-cn-beijing.aliyuncs.com/posts/en/linear-algebra/01-the-essence-of-vectors/illustration_1.png" alt="Essence of Linear Algebra (1): The Essence of Vectors — More Than Just Arrows — Chapter overview" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="content-image"> </figure> </p> <hr> <h2 id="why-vectors-and-why-care" class="heading-anchor">Why Vectors, and Why Care?<a href="#why-vectors-and-why-care" class="heading-link" aria-label="Permalink to this section" title="Copy link to this section">#</a> </h2><p>A physicist talks about a <em>force</em>. A data scientist talks about a <em>feature</em>. A game programmer talks about a <em>velocity</em>. A quantum theorist talks about a <em>state</em>. Different fields, different terms — but the same underlying object: <strong>a vector</strong>.</p> <p>That&rsquo;s no coincidence. A vector is the simplest mathematical object flexible enough to describe <strong>anything you can add together and scale</strong>. Once you see this pattern, you&rsquo;ll see it everywhere.</p>