In mathematics, a tensor is an algebraic object that describes a multilinear relationship between sets of algebraic objects associated with a vector space. Tensors may map between different objects such as vectors, scalars, and even other tensors. There are many types of tensors, including scalars and vectors, dual vectors, multilinear maps between vector spaces, and even some operations such as the dot product. Tensors are defined independent of any basis, although they are often referred to by their components in a basis related to a particular coordinate system; those components form an arr
Quick Answer
Plain English Explanation
Think of a tensor as a container that holds numbers arranged in multiple dimensions—like a spreadsheet (2D), a cube of data (3D), or even higher-dimensional arrays. In everyday tech, tensors power facial recognition, weather forecasting, and self-driving car sensors by organizing raw data into structured formats that machines can process efficiently.
Step-by-step guide
Install required libraries: pip install numpy torch
Import modules: import numpy as np; import torch
Create a 2D tensor: tensor = torch.tensor([[1, 2], [3, 4]])
Perform operations: add, multiply, or transpose using tensor + 5, tensor * 2, tensor.T
Step-by-step guide
Identify current shape using tensor.shape
Define new shape with compatible total elements (e.g., (6,) from (2,3))
Use .reshape(new_shape) method: reshaped = tensor.reshape(6)
This happens when you try to perform operations on tensors with incompatible dimensions—for example, adding a 2x3 matrix to a 4x3 matrix. Tensors must have matching shapes for most operations.
Powering image recognition in smartphones (face unlock, photo sorting)
Simulating fluid dynamics in weather prediction models
Storing sensor data from drones or autonomous vehicles
Training deep learning models for natural language processing (chatbots, translation)
Analyzing stress distribution in engineering structures like bridges or aircraft wings
A tensor is a multi-dimensional array that stores numerical data—like a list, table, cube, or higher-dimensional grid—used to represent mathematical objects in computing.
Wikipedia, 2026
