Collections of operators or matrices

科学是驱动技术的引擎。基础科学的突破往往会带来新技术。数学是支撑大多数科学的框架。没有数学强加的结构化形式，要理解复杂的现象是极其困难的。应用数学是研究一些科学现象所产生的数学问题的学科。科学发展如此之快，以至于从提出科学产生的数学问题到复杂的数学解决方案可以应用于科学的时间间隔往往是减缓知识进步的主要因素。解决这一困境的一种方法是在需要时准备好数学。这是研究和资助纯数学的必要性的一个理由。

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.