Ortogonality of two variable functions

In summary: First, it shouldn't be ##dz##, it should be ##dxdy## or ##dA## for area. Also, it shouldn't be over a single interval the way you have it written. It should be over a set in the plane. That set could be a box defined by two intervals, one over ##x## and the other over ##y##, or it could be any other arbitrarily shaped set, as long as it's measurable.
  • #1
LagrangeEuler
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In functional analysis functions ##f## and ##g## are orthogonal on the interval ##[a,b]## if
[tex]\int^b_a f(x)g(x)dx=0[/tex]
But what if we have functions of two variables ##f(x,y)## and ##g(x,y)## that are orthogonal on the interval ##[a,b]##. Is there some definitions
[tex]\int^b_a f(x,z)g(z,y)dz=0[/tex]?
 
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  • #2
Yes. The definition of "orthogonal" is very general. You can do integrals on both variables. As long as there is an "inner product" defined, the definition of "orthogonal" is also defined. And it is not hard to show that the double integral would have the properties of an inner product. (see http://mathworld.wolfram.com/InnerProduct.html )
 
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  • #3
LagrangeEuler said:
But what if we have functions of two variables ##f(x,y)## and ##g(x,y)## that are orthogonal on the interval ##[a,b]##. Is there some definitions
[tex]\int^b_a f(x,z)g(z,y)dz=0[/tex]?

The integral you've written is not what you seem to mean. First, it shouldn't be ##dz##, it should be ##dxdy## or ##dA## for area. Also, it shouldn't be over a single interval the way you have it written. It should be over a set in the plane. That set could be a box defined by two intervals, one over ##x## and the other over ##y##, or it could be any other arbitrarily shaped set, as long as it's measurable.
 
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  • #4
Hi, you must define the inner product on the space of function in two variables, because what you write doesn't make sense, in fact ##\langle f,g\rangle=\int_{a}^{b}f(x,z)g(z,y)dz=F(x,y)## that is a function of two variables ##x,y## and not a number (with ##\langle\cdot,\cdot\rangle## I denote the inner product) ...

Ssnow
 

Related to Ortogonality of two variable functions

1. What does it mean for two variables to be orthogonal?

Orthogonality of two variables means that they are independent of each other. This means that changes in one variable do not affect the other variable, and vice versa.

2. How do you determine if two variable functions are orthogonal?

To determine if two variable functions are orthogonal, you can use the dot product formula. If the dot product of the two functions is equal to 0, then they are orthogonal. Another way is to graph the functions and see if they intersect at a right angle.

3. Why is orthogonality important in mathematics?

Orthogonality is important in mathematics because it allows us to simplify complex problems by breaking them down into smaller, independent parts. It also helps us to understand the relationship between different variables and how they affect each other.

4. Can two variable functions be orthogonal in three-dimensional space?

Yes, two variable functions can be orthogonal in three-dimensional space. In this case, they would be perpendicular to each other, forming a right angle at their point of intersection.

5. How is orthogonality related to linear independence?

Orthogonality is closely related to linear independence. If two vectors are orthogonal, then they are also linearly independent, meaning that one vector cannot be written as a combination of the other vector. This is an important concept in linear algebra and is used in many applications, such as data analysis and machine learning.

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