Mathematica apparently doesn't treat matricies in the same way our minds do....

No, this should not become an esoteric topic! A multiplication of numbers and a multiplication of matrices are two totally different things! Here an example:

m1 = {{a, b}, {c, d}};
m2 = {{d, e}, {f, g}};

m1 m2  (* element wise multiplication *)
(*  Out:   {{a d,b e},{c f,d g}}  *)
m1.m2  (* matrix multiplication *)
(*  Out:   {{a d+b f,a e+b g},{c d+d f,c e+d g}}  *)

Why a "dot" function instead of multiplication?

Hate to sound stupid but how can it know that I actually needed a 1 column instead of the 3 columns as you listed? Or did I miss something?

I'm absolutely new to this, never had math beyond high school and that really didn't touch Calculus...and we didn't cover matrices either (high school class of 1972....we actually got to use a slide rule in my senior year).

I am totally amazed at what this software can do...and I haven't even begun to dig in...

Thanks!

Tim

Yes, the multiplication is different....however, what I see as a 3 row, single column matrix, Mathematica doesn't see it the same way. It treats it the same but I can't define it as I would expect and the software make use of it....so, it doesn't treat them the same way as at least MY mind does. Not meaning it isn't right, its just something I need to keep in mind.