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A gemstone in matrix algebra

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2016

Tony Crilly
Tony Crilly*
Affiliation:
Middlesex Polytechnic, Bramley Rd, London N14 4XS
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Extract

The history of mathematics is an abundant field for making surprising discoveries. Some luck is necessary, but whereas the literary tradition has been extensively explored by scholars, finding a nugget in the history of mathematics is not so difficult as turning up a new fragment by Jane Austen, or a lost piece by Mozart. In my case I struck lucky in the theory of matrices.

As is well known, the theory of matrices arose during the 1850s – a useful benchmark is the publication of Arthur Cayley's celebrated memoir of 1858, A memoir on the theory of matrices, a paper which generations of mathematicians have taken as signalling the beginning of matrix theory. Even today the opening paragraphs serve as a useful introduction to the subject.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Mathematical Gazette , Volume 76 , Issue 475 , March 1992 , pp. 182 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © The Mathematical Association 1992

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References

1. Hawkins, T., “Another look at Cay ley and the theory of matrices”. Archive Int. d’histoire des sciences vol. 27 (1977) pp 82–112.Google Scholar
2. MS. St John’s College, Cambridge, dated 21 Sept 1852.Google Scholar
3. MacDuffee, C.C. The theory of matrices. New York, Chelsea 1946.Google Scholar
4. MS. St John’s College, Cambridge, dated 19 Nov 1857, published in Historia Mathematica (1978) vol. 5 pp 211–219.Google Scholar