It is important to explain matrices very clearly to your students. Begin by drawing a table on the white- or chalkboard. Enter the categorical information on the far left and top of your graph. Add numerical information into the body of the graph. Explain that a bar graph can easily be converted to a matrix by removing the categorical data and placing the numbers into their respective rows and columns. Demonstrate this conversion and allow students to practice drawing their own matrices. From there, teach the students how to name their matrix based on the number of rows and columns.
Give the students more opportunity to learn by giving them a real life situation to explain. Create an activity based around two feuding pizza parlors. Make up sales figures for pepperoni and plain cheese pizza for each owner and give them to the students in a table. Present students with the challenge of creating the best strategy for each parlor using different types of matrices. For a more difficult lesson, add different toppings, crust styles and side dishes to the matrix.
Allow students to calculate information with several matrices. Present students with a retail situation. Say that two types of shirts are being sold at a local department ore in small and large sizes. Give figures for the number of each shirt color and size sold and the money made from each situation. Have students draw out a matrix containing the figures for the shirts' styles and sizes and one for the prices made from each shirt style. Have x represent the price per shirt A and y represent the price per shirt B. Give the first student to calculate the correct price per shirt a special treat, such as candy or extra credit.
Teach students more about matrix multiplication using a real life application situation. Ask students to remember some of the advertising they have been exposed to. Review matrix multiplication and its rules regarding the size of the matrix. Discuss market share and the goals of an advertising campaign. Create figures for the effectiveness of three company's advertisements. Make up the percentages that consumers switched from one brand to another during a five-month period. Have students set up a one by three matrix representing the original percentages for each study and a three by three matrix representing the market loss or maintenance for each situation. Teach the students to multiply the matrices together to find the one by three matrix that represents the new shares for each company. Discuss which advertising strategy was the most efficient.