# Math Help - How to define linear algebra terms

1. ## How to define linear algebra terms

I do not understand this question/series of questions:

how would I go about defining scalar multiplication in the context of 3-vectors with Cartesian coordinates and 3 x 3 matrices?

2. Umm, if i had to guess, I'd say the problem wants you to find a way to arrange 3 element vectors and 3x3 matrices to perform a simple scalar multiplication.

Let's say you want to multiply some scalars a and b:

a*b = [a 0 0] * [1 0 0; 0 0 0; 0 0 0] * [b; 0; 0]

That's a way to write a scalar multiplication using 3-element vectors and a 3x3 matrix..assuming that's what the question is asking.

3. Originally Posted by p00ndawg
I do not understand this question/series of questions:

how would I go about defining scalar multiplication in the context of 3-vectors with Cartesian coordinates and 3 x 3 matrices?
I interpret this completely differently from eigenvex. Multiplication of scalars is not referred to as "scalar multiplication".

If a is a scalar and [x, y, z] is a 3-vector then their scalar product is [ax, ay, az].

If a is a scalar and $\begin{bmatrix}r & s & t \\ u & v & w \\ x & y & z\end{bmatrix}$ is a 3 by 3 matrix then their scalar product is
$\begin{bmatrix}ar & as & at \\ au & av & aw \\ ax & ay & az\end{bmatrix}$