Linear algebra is growing in importance. 3D entertainment, animations in movies and video games are developed using linear algebra. Animated characters are generated using equations straight out of this book. Linear algebra is used to extract knowledge from the massive amounts of data generated from modern technology.

The Fourth Edition of this popular text introduces linear algebra in a comprehensive, geometric, and algorithmic way. The authors start with the fundamentals in 2D and 3D, then move on to higher dimensions, expanding on the fundamentals and introducing new topics, which are necessary for many real-life applications and the development of abstract thought. Applications are introduced to motivate topics.

The subtitle, A Geometry Toolbox, hints at the book's geometric approach, which is supported by many sketches and figures. Furthermore, the book covers applications of triangles, polygons, conics, and curves. Examples demonstrate each topic in action.

This practical approach to a linear algebra course, whether through classroom instruction or self-study, is unique to this book.

New to the Fourth Edition:

The book gives instructors the option of tailoring the course for the primary interests of their students: mathematics, engineering, science, computer graphics, and geometric modeling.

Appendices

Bibliography

Gerald Farin (deceased) was a professor in the School of Computing, Informatics, and Design Systems Engineering (CIDSE) at Arizona State University. He received his doctoral degree in mathematics from the University of Braunschweig, Germany. His extensive experience in geometric design started at Daimler-Benz. He was a founding member of the editorial board for the journal Computer-Aided Geometric Design (Elsevier), and he served as co-editor in chief for more than 20 years. He published more than 100 research papers. Gerald also organized numerous conferences and authored or edited 29 books. This includes his much read and...