Conformable <Back to Last Page>     <Full Glossary>

Definition of Conformable: Conformable is generally used in conjunction with matrices. A matrix may not have the right dimension or shape to fit into some particular operaton with another matrix. Take matrix addition -- the matrices are supposed to have the same dimensions to be summed. If they don't, we can say that they are not conformable for addition. The most common application of the term comes in the context of multiplication. Multiplying an M x N matrix A by an R x S matrix B directly can only be done if N=R. Otherwise the matrices are not conformable for this purpose. If instead M=R, then the intended operation may be to take the transpose of A and multiply it by B. This operation would properly be denoted A'B, where the prime denotes the transpose of A. (Econterms)

Terms related to Conformable:
None

About.Com Resources on Conformable:
None

Writing a Term Paper? Here are a few starting points for research on Conformable:

Books on Conformable:
None

Journal Articles on Conformable:
None

<Return to Main Page>