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eigenvector

[ ahy-guhn-vek-ter ]

noun

, Mathematics.


eigenvector

/ ˈaɪɡənˌvɛktə /

noun

  1. maths physics a vector x satisfying an equation A x = λ x , where A is a square matrix and λ is a constant
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of eigenvector1

First recorded in 1955–60, eigenvector is from the German word Eigenvektor
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Example Sentences

A key innovation in the study is the introduction of a new weighting function based on the phase information of the first eigenvector -- a special vector that, when multiplied by the matrix, results in a scaled version of the original vector.

In general, a ray of points emanating from the origin can be stretched and rotated by a transformation encoded by a matrix, but in a special direction called the eigenvector, the transformation is limited to stretching or shrinking.

The Perron-Frobenius theorem states that for a square matrix with all positive entries, there is a unique largest real eigenvalue and that its corresponding eigenvector has positive x and y coordinates.

The recent Wired article notes that the Stitch Fix data science team uses “something called eigenvector decomposition, a concept from quantum mechanics, to tease apart the overlapping ‘notes’ in an individual’s style.”

From Slate

As many people pointed out on Twitter, eigenvector decomposition is just a regular old linear algebra technique.

From Slate

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