Talk:Quaternions: Difference between revisions

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imported>Greg Woodhouse
(The inscription)
imported>Catherine Woodgold
(→‎The inscription: More detail about the bridge story?)
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The story of the famous bridge inscription is told at some length in Conway and Smith (see [[Complex number#Further reading]] for a full reference) where it is described as "one of the most famous acts of mathematical vandalism in history". [[User:Greg Woodhouse|Greg Woodhouse]] 11:14, 22 April 2007 (CDT)
The story of the famous bridge inscription is told at some length in Conway and Smith (see [[Complex number#Further reading]] for a full reference) where it is described as "one of the most famous acts of mathematical vandalism in history". [[User:Greg Woodhouse|Greg Woodhouse]] 11:14, 22 April 2007 (CDT)
:I like the bridge story.  It has dramatic appeal.  As I remember and as it was told to me, what he wrote was "<math>i^2 = j^2 = k^2 = ijk = -1</math>".  I think it would be good to put this, perhaps in parentheses, right into the sentence of the article where it talks about him writing it -- or at the very least in a footnote (if someone can verify that that's what he wrote).  Did the incription stay up long?  Is there a plaque at the bridge talking about it?  It would be nice to get a bit more detail.  --[[User:Catherine Woodgold|Catherine Woodgold]] 19:38, 24 April 2007 (CDT)

Revision as of 19:38, 24 April 2007


Article Checklist for "Quaternions"
Workgroup category or categories Mathematics Workgroup [Categories OK]
Article status Stub: no more than a few sentences
Underlinked article? No
Basic cleanup done? Yes
Checklist last edited by Versuri 06:10, 22 April 2007 (CDT)

To learn how to fill out this checklist, please see CZ:The Article Checklist.





The inscription

The story of the famous bridge inscription is told at some length in Conway and Smith (see Complex number#Further reading for a full reference) where it is described as "one of the most famous acts of mathematical vandalism in history". Greg Woodhouse 11:14, 22 April 2007 (CDT)

I like the bridge story. It has dramatic appeal. As I remember and as it was told to me, what he wrote was "". I think it would be good to put this, perhaps in parentheses, right into the sentence of the article where it talks about him writing it -- or at the very least in a footnote (if someone can verify that that's what he wrote). Did the incription stay up long? Is there a plaque at the bridge talking about it? It would be nice to get a bit more detail. --Catherine Woodgold 19:38, 24 April 2007 (CDT)