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> I'm amazed that you say that calculus has had a much greater impact on society when virtually every database, graphics manipulation or economic analysis uses
by weland 12y ago
> I'm amazed that you say that calculus has had a much greater impact on society when virtually every database, graphics manipulation or economic analysis uses principles of linear algebra.
Studying any kind of engine (or for that matter, anything that moves), solid-state electronic device (from transistors to antennae) or power distribution network and doing any kind of design about them is literally impossible without calculus. Even algebraic approaches to these are formulated through discretization of a continuous model (which -- unsurprisingly -- you need calculus to study).
We have such a thing as databases, devices that can manipulate graphics and high-complexity economic models that are analyzed through linear algebra because Newton and Leibniz found the mathematical tools we need in order to model (continuous) change. We could mostly get along fine-ish without linear algebra, but the industrial revolution that spawned our society would be impossible without calculus, because without it you cannot design anything non-trivial that moves or runs on electricity.