Math for core animation?

Question

What is a good level of math required for, like, advanced core animation? Take this for example:

http://cocoadex.com/2008/01/lemur-math.html

And what's a good book/resource to learn it?

-Jason

Answer 1

Make sure you have a grasp on introductory Linear Algebra. Something like Hoffman & Kunze is probably appropriate. It might go a bit more in depth than you need, but having a better understanding of linear algebra will go a long way for computer graphics.

My university used David Lay's book for their introductory course that is less in depth than Hoffman & Kunze but provides more motivation and applications, which if you're not mathematically inclined might be easier to read. For something like graphics, this is probably sufficient.

Answer 2

There are quite a handful on Amazon for you to have a look through.

Answer 3

Take a look at this: http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~held/teaching/einfuehrung_graphik/slides/transf_slides.pdf

It explains things like homogeneous coordinates, perspective projection etc. very nicely.

The rest of the slides is at (the index page is in German, but the slides are in English): http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~held/teaching/einfuehrung_graphik/einf_graphik.html

The basics of the math are covered more deeply at: http://www.cosy.sbg.ac.at/~held/teaching/geom_rechnen/slides/math_slides.pdf

IMO, they're all excellent.

Answer 4

The answer to your first question is a bit circular: you need the maths you'll encounter in books (etc) about computer graphics. Bearing that in mind I think you'd be best off starting with a copy of Computer Graphics by Foley et al. That book explains the maths for the would-be programmer, which is possibly where you are coming from.

If you want to learn linear algebra for its own sake, then you would be better off with a linear algebra text. But there is an awful lot in even elementary linear algebra texts which is irrelevant for computer graphics. The trouble, for you, is that you may have to wade through a lot of irrelevant stuff before you get to what you are interested in. And you will have to make the connections between linear algebra and computer graphics yourself.

After you have exhausted Computer Graphics try Essential Mathematics for Games and Interactive Applications: A Programmer's Guide by Van Verth. Again, it's a programmer-oriented text on the necessary mathematics.