The significance of orthogonal relationships

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of orthogonal relationships, particularly in the context of geometry and physics. Participants explore the implications of orthogonality beyond right angles, especially in relation to vectors and geometric shapes, as well as its significance in physical scenarios like rocket separation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the meaning of "orthogonal relationships in addition to right angles," suggesting a lack of clarity on the term's broader significance.
  • Another participant expresses fascination with the geometric interpretation of values, particularly how area vectors relate to orthogonal vectors in the xy plane.
  • Concerns are raised about the physical significance of orthogonal relationships in scenarios like rocket separation, with an emphasis on the mathematical versus physical implications.
  • Discussion includes the role of Euclidean geometry and its limitations, particularly in relation to general relativity and the curvature of space.
  • One participant connects orthogonal relationships to determinants and the importance of 90-degree angles in geometry, suggesting a link to trigonometric functions and the constant pi.
  • Another participant notes that many trigonometric identities are valid only in Euclidean geometry, prompting questions about the nature of our geometric reality.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the significance and implications of orthogonal relationships, with no consensus reached on the broader meanings or applications of these concepts.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on specific definitions of geometry and may not account for all mathematical contexts. The discussion touches on the limitations of Euclidean geometry and its applicability to physical scenarios, which remain unresolved.

linuspauling
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what is the meaning of orthogonal relationships in addition to right angles in the xyz coordinate system?

for instance, if a 3 piece rocket separated in space in an orthogonal way...will there be any significance when compared to the 3 piece rocket that does not separate in an orthogonal way?

I'm sure pi is somewhere along the answer to this question...am i right?
 
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I have no idea what you mean by "orthogonal relationships in addition to right angles"! "Orthogonal" means "at right angles". I also don't know what kind of "signifcance" you are looking for in your example. There may be some physical significance but not mathematical.
 
I just find it a bit fascinating that values can be interpreted in a geometric way. For Instance, the area vector is orthogonal to two vectors in the xy plane after we adjust these two vectors in the xy plane to be orthogonal by projecting one vector over the other...thus, we again form an orthogonal relationship between two sides of rectangle/square that is produced by the two adjusted vectors in the xy plan and the area.

Isn't there some type of meaning here? two vectors in the xy plane form two sides of a geometric shape, and the Area vector is not a geometric shape...thus, it is in another plane...but in an orthogonal way? Am I making any sense? I guess I'm trying to figure out how the originator of vector calculus was constructing this line of logic.
 
The usual high school geometry is the so called Euclidiean geometry. It is based on axioms. The type of geometry we live in or equivalently the axioms it is based on are verifiable only by experiment.

Actually the Euclidean geometry is just a very good approximation to the geometry on Earth, General relativity predicts that every material body curves the geometry around it so it is no longer Euclidean but the effect on Earth is too tiny so we can usually get away with Euclidean geometry constructions.
 
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LOOK...determinants work because there are orthogonal relationships between two vectors in the xyz coordinate and the area vector that the parallelogram or the rectangle the two vectors can form.

what is the importance of a 90 degree angle in geometry? sin, cos, tan all work within a 90 degree construction. when working with degrees...pi eventually comes into the picture. who can connect this choppy line of logic and smooth it out?
 
The sum of all angles in a triangle is 180 deg only in Euclidean geometry. Many of the high school trig formulas are true only in Euclidean geometry. So what is your question? Why we live in an approximately Euclidean world? I doubt anyone knows that.
 

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