Column Memes

Ever notice how we never discuss the fashion choices of mathematical constructs? Well, here we are. The eternal question of matrix pants orientation perfectly captures the essence of matrix notation. The top image shows pants arranged by rows (a₁, a₂, a₃), while the bottom shows them by columns (a₁₁, a₂₂, a₃₃). This is the kind of nonsense that keeps mathematicians awake at night. After 40 years of teaching linear algebra, I still can't decide which is funnier - that someone made this meme or that I just spent 10 minutes contemplating the philosophical implications of matrix legwear. Next up: what kind of shoes would an eigenvalue wear?