Insights Blog
-- Browse All Articles --
Physics Articles
Physics Tutorials
Physics Guides
Physics FAQ
Math Articles
Math Tutorials
Math Guides
Math FAQ
Education Articles
Education Guides
Bio/Chem Articles
Technology Guides
Computer Science Tutorials
Forums
General Math
Calculus
Differential Equations
Topology and Analysis
Linear and Abstract Algebra
Differential Geometry
Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Trending
Featured Threads
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
General Math
Calculus
Differential Equations
Topology and Analysis
Linear and Abstract Algebra
Differential Geometry
Set Theory, Logic, Probability, Statistics
MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
More options
Contact us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
Mathematics
General Math
Do we consider a point in a coordinate system to be a scalar?
Reply to thread
Message
[QUOTE="fresh_42, post: 6048209, member: 572553"] A point is a certain location, here at the coordinates (4,5). We need them to specify it, i.e. to assure that we are talking about the same location. We do this in vector form, that is by its distance and direction from another location which we earlier agreed upon calling the origin. So the description is by a vector, the location itself is not. As a location, it is neither a vector nor a scalar. A scalar would be a single valued valuation, a number. In case every point has such a valuation, e.g. the temperature, this valuation would be the scalar and the set of all pairs (point , temperature) would be a scalar field. You see, that the point itself isn't called a scalar. So scalars, vectors, matrices, tensors are what happens at a certain location, they can be evaluated at this location or they are simply attached to this location. Their nature, however, is different from the nature of the point, the location. That's more or less the physical point of view. Mathematically a point is just a zero-dimensional object that has nothing to do with scalars or vectors. It's not even located anywhere as long as we do not make assumption on how to describe it. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Post reply
Forums
Mathematics
General Math
Do we consider a point in a coordinate system to be a scalar?
Back
Top