skweiler said:Thanks for the idea. I will try this, but I am not too certain whether it will be explained well enough. I checked out Maxwell's original treatise on Electricity and Magnetism and it was very difficult to understand. Part of it may be that I need to have taken more advanced physics and/or math course to understand it.
Quaternions are a mathematical concept that extends the idea of complex numbers to four dimensions. They are represented as a combination of a scalar and a vector, and are often used in 3D computer graphics and physics simulations.
While both quaternions and complex numbers involve a scalar and a vector, complex numbers only have two dimensions while quaternions have four. Quaternions also have a different multiplication rule and can be used to represent 3D rotations, while complex numbers cannot.
Quaternions are commonly used in 3D computer graphics, robotics, and physics simulations. They are also used in aerospace engineering, virtual reality, and video games.
To add or subtract quaternions, you simply add or subtract their corresponding scalar and vector components. Multiplication with quaternions follows a specific rule, and division involves finding the inverse of the quaternion. It is important to note that the order of quaternion multiplication matters.
Quaternions can be challenging to understand at first, especially for those who are not familiar with complex numbers or higher dimensions. However, with practice and a solid understanding of the concept, they can be a powerful tool for solving complex problems in mathematics and science.