DataStream & QuantumByte
Ever wondered if quantum superposition can be tamed into a probabilistic model? Let's try to parse the math behind it.
Yeah, superposition is just a fancy way of saying “the system is in all its possible states at once” until you look. If you want to force it into a probabilistic model, you start with the wavefunction ψ, square its magnitude |ψ|² to get the probability density, and normalise so the total probability is one. In practice, you discretise the state space, build a probability matrix P where each element P(i,j) is |⟨i|ψ⟩|², and then evolve P with the unitary U by P′=UPU†, which keeps the probabilities consistent. The trick is that the “probabilities” you get are still quantum‑derived, not classical guesses, so any classical intuition will get a bit tangled. In short: treat the wavefunction like a vector, apply the Born rule for probabilities, and let the unitary evolution keep the math tidy. It’s neat, but still a quantum thing in disguise.