glLoadMatrix replaces the current matrix with the one whose elements are specified by m. The current matrix is the projection matrix, modelview matrix, or texture matrix, depending on the current matrix mode (see glMatrixMode).The current matrix, M, defines a transformation of coordinates. For instance, assume M refers to the modelview matrix. If $v ~=~ (v[0], v[1], v[2], v[3])$ is the set of object coordinates of a vertex, and m points to an array of $16$ single- or double-precision floating-point values $m[0], m[1],. . .,m[15]$, then the modelview transformation $M(v)$ does the following:
down 130 {M(v) ~ = ~ {{ left ( matrix { ccol { ~m[0] above m[1] above m[2] above m[3] ~} ccol { ~m[4] above m[5] above m[6] above m[7] ~} ccol { ~m[8] above m[9] above m[10] above m[11] ~} ccol { ~m[12]~ above m[13]~ above m[14]~ above m[15]~} } right ) } ~~ times ~~ {left ( matrix { ccol { ~v[0]~ above ~v[1]~ above ~v[2]~ above ~v[3]~ } } right )} }}
Where ``$times$'' denotes matrix multiplication.
Projection and texture transformations are similarly defined.