Ask HN: Best beginner friendly linear algebra book?
Why are you trying to learn linear algebra?<p>This is highly important. Linear algebra is applicable to so many fields, but learning linear algebra for say... Graphics Programmers, is a completely different feel from learning linear algebra for an Electrical Engineer Signals-and-systems engineer.<p>Graphics programmers largely need to learn &quot;how to use&quot; matricies. Emphasis on associative properties. Emphasis on non-communitive operations.<p>In contrast, Electrical Engineers &#x2F; Signals-and-systems want to learn linear-algebra as a stepping stone to differential calculus. In this case, you&#x27;re going to be focusing more on eigen-values, spring-mass systems &#x2F; resonant frequencies, applicability to calculus and other tidbits (how linear algebra relates to the Fourier Transform).<p>----------<p>The graphics programmer (probably) doesn&#x27;t need to learn eigenvalues. So any textbook written as &quot;linear algebra for graphics programmers&quot; can safely skip over that.<p>The electrical engineer however needs all of this other stuff as &quot;part&quot; of the linear algebra class.<p>I&#x27;m sure other fields (statistics, error-correction codes&#x2F;galois fields, abstract algebra, etc. etc.) have &quot;their own ways&quot; of teaching linear algebra that is most applicable to them.<p>Yes, &quot;linear algebra&quot; is broadly applicable. But instead of trying to &quot;learn all of it&quot;, you should instead focus on the &quot;bits of linear algebra that is most applicable to the problems you face&quot;. That shrinks down the field, increases the &quot;pragmatism&quot; of your studies.<p>Later, when you&#x27;re more familiar with &quot;some bits&quot; of linear algebra, you can then take the next step of generalizing off of your &quot;seed knowledge&quot;.<p>--------<p>I personally never was able to learn linear algebra from a linear algebra book.<p>Instead, I relearned linear algebra 4 or 5 times as the &quot;basis&quot; of other maths I&#x27;ve learned. I learned it for differential calculus. I relearned linear algebra for signals. I relearned linear algebra for Galois fields&#x2F;CRC-codes&#x2F;Reed Solomon. I relearned linear algebra for graphics.<p>Yes, it seems inefficient, but I think my &quot;focus&quot; isn&#x27;t strong enough to just study it in the abstract. I needed to see the &quot;applicable&quot; practice to encourage myself to learn. Besides, each time you &quot;relearn&quot; linear algebra, its a lot faster than the last time.