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One moonlit night (the night of October 16, 1843 to be precise), as William Rowan Hamilton took a romantic stroll with his wife over the Brougham Bridge in Dublin, Ireland, the fundamental relationship of quaternion multiplication came to him in a flash of genius
([tex]i^2=j^2=k^2=ijk=-1[/tex]). Hamilton was so moved by the emotion of the moment, he carved the equation into one of the stones on the Brougham Bridge.
Unfortunately, the romantic conversation that led up to Hamilton's flash of genius has never been recorded, but I'm sure watching Hamilton carve a mathematical equation into a stone had to leave his wife deeply moved.
What's your most memorable romantic moment?
([tex]i^2=j^2=k^2=ijk=-1[/tex]). Hamilton was so moved by the emotion of the moment, he carved the equation into one of the stones on the Brougham Bridge.
Unfortunately, the romantic conversation that led up to Hamilton's flash of genius has never been recorded, but I'm sure watching Hamilton carve a mathematical equation into a stone had to leave his wife deeply moved.
What's your most memorable romantic moment?