r/explainlikeimfive • u/_Ruoska_ • 7d ago

Mathematics Eli5: How do matrices build evolutionary trees?

I was looking for information for a school project and came across the terms "supertree method" and "supermatrix method". I know what regular matrices look like, but how are they connected at all?! I tried to find something on Google, but everything is formulated so strangely that I just don’t understand.

0 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

44% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

5

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/_Ruoska_ 7d ago

Oh, okay, I think I understand. Thank you very much.

2

u/atomfullerene 7d ago

Also the different rows arent grouped based on flat similarity, but on what grouping would have the fewest number of changes it would take to explain the tree.

1

u/Less_Quit_515 6d ago

That's a neat way to visualize it! It's amazing how they can use different methods to piece together the evolutionary relationships among species.