matrix Set of numbers arranged in rows and columns to form a rect¬ angular array. Matrix elements may also be differential operators, vectors, or functions. Matrices have wide applications in engineering, physics, economics, and statistics, as well as in various branches of mathematics. They are usually first encountered in the study of systems of equations rep¬ resented by matrix equations of the form Ax = B, which may be solved by finding the inverse of matrix A or by using an algebraic method based on its determinant.
matsuri \'mat-sii- 1 re\ Civil or religious festival in Japan, especially a Shinto shrine festival. It traditionally has two parts: a solemn ritual of worship and a joyous celebration. The participants first purify themselves (see harai ) by periods of abstinence and by bathing. The inner doors of the shrine are then opened, a drum or bells are sounded, and the deity or sacred power ( kami ) is called to descend. The ritual continues with offer¬ ings, prayers, and ceremonial music and dancing. The celebration usually includes a feast, dancing, theatrical performances, divination, and athletic contests. A portable shrine housing the kami is often taken out and car¬ ried in procession.
Matsushita \mat-'su-shi-to\ Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Major Japanese manufacturer of electric appliances and consumer electronics products. Founded in 1918 by Matsushita Konosuke (1894-1989) to pro¬ duce electric lamp sockets and plugs, the company was incorporated in 1935. In the 1930s it manufactured a variety of electrical products, includ¬ ing radios and phonographs. In the 1950s it added television sets, tape recorders, and household appliances; a decade later it brought out micro- wave ovens, air conditioners, and videotape recorders. It markets prod-
j/\
A yaksi (female nature spirit) holding tray and pitcher, red sandstone relief from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2nd century ad; in the Archaeological Museum, Mathura.
P. CHANDRA
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Matteotti ► Maudslay I 1213
ucts under such brand names as Panasonic, JVC, and Quasar. Matsushita is noted for its heavy investment in research and development. Its head¬ quarters are in Kadoma, near Osaka; it has manufacturing and sales sub¬ sidiaries in many overseas markets.
Matteotti ^ma-ta-'ot-teV, Giacomo (b. May 22, 1885, Fratta Polesine, Italy—d. June 10, 1924, Rome) Italian Socialist leader. A lawyer, he joined the Italian Socialist Party and was elected to the Chamber of Depu¬ ties in 1919. As head of the Socialists in 1924, he strongly denounced the Fascist Party. Two weeks after his speech, he was kidnapped and mur¬ dered by fascists. The murder created a worldwide scandal, and Benito Mussolini took responsibility as head of the Fascist Party and dared his critics to prosecute him. Opposition was weak, and the Matteotti crisis enabled Mussolini to further consolidate his power.
matter Material substance that constitutes the observable universe and, together with energy, forms the basis of all objective phenomena. Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter. Every physical entity can be described, physically and mathematically, in terms of interrelated quantities of mass, inertia, and gravitation. Matter in bulk occurs in several states; the most familiar are the gaseous (see gas), liquid, and solid states (plasmas, glasses, and various others are less clearly defined), each with characteristic prop¬ erties. According to Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity, matter and energy are equivalent and interconvertible (see conservation law).
Matterhorn French Mont Cervin \,m6 n -ser-'ve n \ Italian Monte Cervino Vmon-ta-cher-'ve-noV Mountain in the Alps, on the border between Italy and Switzerland. Ris¬ ing to 14,692 ft (4,478 m), it appears from the Swiss side to be an isolated peak, but it is actually the end of a ridge. The Italian slope is more dif¬ ficult to climb than the Swiss slope.
It was first scaled on July 14, 1865, by British explorer Edward Whymper, who ascended the Swiss side. Three days later Giovanni A.
Carrel led an Italian group in the first ascent from the Italian side.
Matthau Vma-thau\, Walter (b.
Oct. 1, 1920, New York, N.Y.,
U.S.—d. July 1, 2000, Santa Mon¬ ica, Calif.) U.S. actor. He began his career as a child actor in Yiddish the¬ atre and appeared on Broadway in plays such as Once More, with Feel¬ ing (1958) and A Shot in the Dark (1962). He worked steadily as a char¬ acter actor on the stage and on tele¬ vision in the early 1950s and made his film debut in The Kentuckian (1955). He won stardom with his stage role in The Odd Couple (1965), which he reprised in the 1968 film version with his frequent costar. Jack Lemmon. Known for his rumpled face, nasal bray, and razor-sharp timing, Matthau appeared in numerous other films, including The Fortune Cookie (1966, Academy Award), Charley Varrick (1973), The Sunshine Boys (1975), Grumpy Old Men (1993), and I’m Not Rappaport (1996).
Matthew, Saint (fl. 1st century ad, Palestine; Western feast day Sep¬ tember 21, Eastern feast day November 16) One of the Twelve Apostles, traditional author of the first Gospel. According to the Gospels, he was a tax collector known as Levi when Jesus called him to be a disciple. Other information about him is scarce. The Gospel of Matthew is directed at a Jewish-Christian audience in a Jewish environment and may have been written originally in Hebrew, but it is now doubted that the apostle Mat¬ thew was its author. Tradition holds that Matthew conducted his ministry in Judaea, after which he served as a missionary to Ethiopia and Persia. Legend differs as to whether he died a martyr’s death.
Matthews, Leigh (b. Jan. 3, 1952, Frankston, Victoria, Austl.) Aus¬ tralian Rules football player. A tenacious forward, he was legendary for his robust play and extraordinary skills. He played for Hawthorn (1969- 85), scoring 915 goals and helping the team to four league titles. He enjoyed subsequent success as a coach at Collingwood (1986-95) and Brisbane (1999- ), guiding both teams to league titles. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and elevated to Legend in 1996.
Matthias I or Matthias Corvinus \md-ihl-ds...k6r-\l-nds\Hungar- ian Mat yds Corvin orig. Maty as Hunyadi (b. Feb. 24, 1443, Kolozsvar, Transylvania—d. April 6, 1490, Vienna) King of Hungary (1458-90). He spent much of his reign combating the claims of the Habs- burg dynasty and attempting to reconstruct the Hungarian state after decades of feudal anarchy. He raised taxes, modernized the army, and codified Hungarian law. After fighting off Turks on Hungary’s southern border, Matthias organized a defensive system against them. He gained control of Bosnia (1463) but lost a struggle with Poland for Bohemia. Long a rival of Emperor Frederick III. he occupied Vienna and other Habs- burg lands, but after his death his conquests were lost.
Matthiessen Vmath-o-sonV, Peter (b. May 22, 1927, New York, N.Y., U.S.) U.S. naturalist and writer. He attended Yale University and worked as a fisherman on Long Island before undertaking his extensive world travels. His nonfiction, much of it inspired by his career as a naturalist, includes Wildlife in America (1959), The Snow Leopard (1978, National Book Award), and In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (1983). His novels include At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1965; film, 1991), Far Tortuga (1975), and Killing Mister Watson (1990). The Cloud Forest (1996) is a chronicle of his travels in South America.