Matrix and Vector Representation of Images
A sampled quantized image may be representation as a matrix or a 2D array of numbers:
The image has M rows, each with N elements (N columns).
Matrix methods may then be used in the analysis of images.
However, images are not merely arrays of numbers certain constraints are imposed on the image matrix due to the physical properties of the image.
(Reference: E.L. Hall, “Computer Image Processing and Recognition”, Academic Press, New York, 1979.)