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Level 00 · Warm-up math

Matrices move arrows

Four numbers that turn, flip or stretch every arrow at once. Every quantum gate is one.

Lesson 3 of 5 about 11 min

A machine for moving arrows

In the last lesson, a qubit turned out to be an arrow. A quantum computer works by moving that arrow: turning it, flipping it. Each of those moves is called a gate.

Every gate is written as a matrix: a small square of four numbers. Before we look at any numbers, let's see what matrices do. Pick a move and watch the whole grid follow it.

−3−2−1123−3−2−1123

The matrix

1001
GoalTry at least three different moves (0/3).
The violet lines show where the grid itself goes. Blue is where “right” lands; pink is where “up” lands.