Matrices

 

            One thing in this class that I understand really well, is how to set up matrices to solve a problem given to us.

            Suppose you are given a bug problem. If you have 5 trees in a circle, with each tree losing 10% to each of the adjacent trees. The matrices would be set up as follows:

 

                                                  See document MJKMatrices

 

 

            To find the first row of the matrix, you would figure out what percent of bugs each tree contributed to the total number of bugs on tree number one.  To find the second row you would figure out what percent of bugs each tree contributed to the total number of bugs on tree number two. Then for rows three, four, and five, you just figure out what percent of bugs each tree contributes to the tree that matches the row number.

          To get the new number of bugs on all of the trees, you multiply the percent matrice by the matrix with the original number of bugs on each tree. In this way you will get the new number of bugs on each tree.