Scalar Number
A Scalar Number is a real number associated with a vector space.
- Context:
- Counter-Example(s):
- an Ordinal Number.
- a Categorical Value.
- See: Scalar Function, Scalar Multiplication, Scalar Literal, Scalar Variable, Scalar Data Type.
References
2021
- (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scalar_(mathematics) Retrieved:2021-3-17.
- A scalar is an element of a field which is used to define a vector space. A quantity described by multiple scalars, such as having both direction and magnitude, is called a vector. [1] In linear algebra, real numbers or other elements of a field are called scalars and relate to vectors in a vector space through the operation of scalar multiplication, in which a vector can be multiplied by a number to produce another vector. More generally, a vector space may be defined by using any field instead of real numbers, such as complex numbers. Then the scalars of that vector space will be the elements of the associated field.
A scalar product operation – not to be confused with scalar multiplication – may be defined on a vector space, allowing two vectors to be multiplied to produce a scalar. A vector space equipped with a scalar product is called an inner product space.
The real component of a quaternion is also called its scalar part.
The term is also sometimes used informally to mean a vector, matrix, tensor, or other, usually, "compound" value that is actually reduced to a single component. Thus, for example, the product of a 1×n matrix and an n×1 matrix, which is formally a 1×1 matrix, is often said to be a scalar.
The term scalar matrix is used to denote a matrix of the form kI where k is a scalar and I is the identity matrix.
- A scalar is an element of a field which is used to define a vector space. A quantity described by multiple scalars, such as having both direction and magnitude, is called a vector. [1] In linear algebra, real numbers or other elements of a field are called scalars and relate to vectors in a vector space through the operation of scalar multiplication, in which a vector can be multiplied by a number to produce another vector. More generally, a vector space may be defined by using any field instead of real numbers, such as complex numbers. Then the scalars of that vector space will be the elements of the associated field.
2009
- (WordNet, 2009) ⇒ http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=scalar
- S: (n) scalar (a variable quantity that cannot be resolved into components)
- S: (adj) scalar (of or relating to a musical scale) "he played some basic scalar patterns on his guitar"
- S: (adj) scalar (of or relating to a directionless magnitude (such as mass or speed etc.) that is completely specified by its magnitude) "scalar quantity"
2009
- http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/scalar
- Adjective
- 1. (mathematics) Having magnitude but not direction
- 2. Of, or relating to scale
- Noun
- 1. (mathematics) A quantity that has magnitude but not direction; compare vector
- 2. (electronics) An amplifier whose output is a constant multiple of its input
- Adjective
2009
- http://www.math.com/tables/oddsends/vectordefs.htm
- Definition: A scalar, generally speaking, is another name for "real number."
- Definition: A vector of dimension n is an ordered collection of n elements, which are called components. ... It can represent magnitude and direction simultaneously.
1996
- (Wall et al., 1996) ⇒ Larry Wall, Tom Christiansen, and Randal L. Schwartz. (1996). “Programming Perl, 2nd edition." O'Reilly. ISBN:1565921496
- scalar: A simple value, such as a number or string.