Mathematics
Linear Transformations and Their Geometric Interpretations
Quick fact
A linear transformation is completely determined by what it does to the basis vectors—just knowing where the unit vectors go tells you where every vector goes. This is why a matrix captures the transformation in a compact grid of numbers.
Why this is interesting
Imagine stretching, rotating, or squishing a photo on your phone—these are linear transformations. But what makes a transformation 'linear', and why do they always keep straight lines straight?