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Well yes, if we want to plot any sort of independent values, we have 3 spatial axes we are familiar with and will use them to graph accordingly. But I'm not goi
by ralusek 5y ago
Well yes, if we want to plot any sort of independent values, we have 3 spatial axes we are familiar with and will use them to graph accordingly. But I'm not going to argue that "housing prices therefore exist on an axes perpendicular to square footage." I just plotted the relationship that way.
- AnotherGoodName 5y agoI think focusing on the perpendicular doesn't make much sense since of course we graph different variables perpendicular. The real point i think you're making is that complex numbers are just a notational shorthand for multidimensional vectors. And yeah. That's true. https://xkcd.com/2028/ https://xkcd.com/2028/
- cool_dude85 5y agoThere are valid reasons to plot variables that aren't perpendicular. Maybe you want a plot of the radius of a cylinder and its volume, for example. Then a change in the x axis changes the value of the y axis and the axes wouldn't be drawn perpendicular.
- zsmi 5y agoThis is why it's fun to know the history of math. The complex plane was introduced by Caper Wessel in a paper that was published in 1799 so it would've existed before vector notation. My guess is by the time vectors got popular the complex notation, and theorems that people had proved which used complex notation, had already stuck. But I'm only a hack math historian so I can definitely be wrong here. I think it's important to keep in mind that math and science, much like the code base that I am trying my hardest to avoid, is evolved.