Learning OpenGL ES for iOS: A Hands-On Guide to Modern 3D Graphics Programming

11. Math Cheat Sheet

Math forms the basis of computer science in general and computer graphics in particular. The term linear algebra encompasses the majority of mathematic operations used in modern computer graphics. Other common terms for the same operations include vector algebra and matrix math. Study of vectors and vector transformations began in the 1600s and matured into its current form in the 1790s. Charles Babbage designed his mechanical general-purpose computer called the “Analytical Engine” in 1837. With the Analytical Engine in mind, Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, wrote the first computer program in 1842. As a result, when transistors were invented in 1948 to replace mechanical switches and vacuum tubes, mathematicians already ...