Are quaternions simultaneously an algebra, normed vector space, and field?

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter precondition
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Quaternions
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 3K views
precondition
Messages
57
Reaction score
0
I read in some text the following:
Quaternion algebra becomes a normed vector(linear) space with appropriate norm ...(blah blah)... Also since every element has a multiplicative inverse it is a field.

Now, what I find confusing is that according to above a mathematical object called quaternion is not only an algebra but with the norm normed linear space and furthermore a field?? In other words, all these notions of algebra+nvs+field etc should be regarded as some kind of characterisation of an object of our interest in this case quaternion? or further rephrasing this, different ways of looking at an object quaternion?

I would appreciate your comment
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Quaternion multiplication is not commutative. The quaternions form a division ring, not a field.
 
Ah, I think this has what you want to know. (and maybe the results at the bottom of this)
 
Last edited: