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> tensors are generalisations of matrices/vectors. Is that what they are though? Because that really is not my understanding. Tensors are mappings which not al
by cowsandmilk 3y ago
> tensors are generalisations of matrices/vectors.
Is that what they are though? Because that really is not my understanding. Tensors are mappings which not all matrices and vectors are. Maybe the matrices in ML layers are all mappings, but a matrix in general is not, not is a vector always a mapping. So tensors aren’t generalizations of matrices and vectors.
- kergonath 3y ago> Tensors are mappings which not all matrices and vectors are. A tensor in Physics is an object that follows some rules when changing reference frame. Their matrix representation is just one way of writing them. It’s the same with vectors: a list with their components is a representation of a vector, not the vector itself. We can think about it that way: the velocity of an object does not depend on the reference frame. Changing the axes does not make the object change its trajectory, but it does change the numerical values of the components of the velocity vector. > So tensors aren’t generalizations of matrices and vectors. Indeed. Tensors in ML have pretty much nothing to do with tensors in Maths or Physics. It is very unfortunate that they settled on the same name just because it sounds cool and sciency.