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Versor
In mathematics, a versor is a quaternion of norm one (a ''unit quaternion''). The word is derived from Latin ''versare'' = "to turn" with the suffix ''-or'' forming a noun from the verb (i.e. ''versor'' = "the turner"). It was introduced by William Rowan Hamilton in the context of his quaternion theory. Each versor has the form :q = \exp(a\mathbf) = \cos a + \mathbf \sin a, \quad \mathbf^2 = -1, \quad a \in ,\pi where the r2 = −1 condition means that r is a unit-length vector quaternion (or that the first component of r is zero, and the last three components of r are a unit vector in 3 dimensions). The corresponding 3-dimensional rotation has the angle 2''a'' about the axis r in axis–angle representation. In case (a right angle), then q = \mathbf, and the resulting unit vector is termed a ''right versor''. Presentation on 3- and 2-spheres Hamilton denoted the versor of a quaternion ''q'' by the symbol U''q''. He was then able to display the general quaternion in polar coo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Classical Hamiltonian Quaternions
William Rowan Hamilton invented quaternions, a mathematical entity in 1843. This article describes Hamilton's original treatment of quaternions, using his notation and terms. Hamilton's treatment is more geometric than the modern approach, which emphasizes quaternions' algebraic properties. Mathematically, quaternions discussed differ from the modern definition only by the terminology which is used. Classical elements of a quaternion Hamilton defined a quaternion as the quotient of two directed lines in tri dimensional space; or, more generally, as the quotient of two vectors. A quaternion can be represented as the sum of a ''scalar'' and a ''vector''. It can also be represented as the product of its ''tensor'' and its ''versor''. Scalar Hamilton invented the term ''scalars'' for the real numbers, because they span the "scale of progression from positive to negative infinity" or because they represent the "comparison of positions upon one common scale". Hamilton regarde ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quaternion
In mathematics, the quaternion number system extends the complex numbers. Quaternions were first described by the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton in 1843 and applied to mechanics in three-dimensional space. Hamilton defined a quaternion as the quotient of two '' directed lines'' in a three-dimensional space, or, equivalently, as the quotient of two vectors. Multiplication of quaternions is noncommutative. Quaternions are generally represented in the form :a + b\ \mathbf i + c\ \mathbf j +d\ \mathbf k where , and are real numbers; and , and are the ''basic quaternions''. Quaternions are used in pure mathematics, but also have practical uses in applied mathematics, particularly for calculations involving three-dimensional rotations, such as in three-dimensional computer graphics, computer vision, and crystallographic texture analysis. They can be used alongside other methods of rotation, such as Euler angles and rotation matrices, or as an alternative to them ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
