Collections of operators or matrices

科学是驱动技术的引擎。基础科学的突破性进展往往导致新技术的产生。数学是支撑大多数科学的框架。如果没有数学所赋予的结构化形式，理解复杂的现象是极其困难的。应用数学是研究从某些科学现象中产生的数学问题的学科。科学进步如此之快，以至于从提出科学中产生的数学问题到复杂的数学解决方案可以应用于科学之间的时间差往往是减缓知识进步的主要因素。解决这一难题的一个办法是在需要时准备好数学。这是需要研究和资助纯数学的理由之一。

Science is the engine that drives technology. Breakthroughs in basic science often lead to new technologies. Mathematics is the framework that supports most science. Without the structured form imposed by mathematics, it is extremely difficult to understand complicated phenomena. Applied mathematics is the study of mathematical questions that arise from consideration of some scientific phenomena. Science advances so fast that the time lag between posing the mathematical questions that arise from science until the time when sophisticated mathematical solutions can be applied to science is often the major factor slowing the advancement of knowledge. One solution to this dilemma is to have mathematics ready when the need arises. This is one justification of the need to research and fund pure mathematics.