Pure Mathematics Seminar
Published on the 20 Aug 2004
Speaker: A/Prof Norman Wildberger (UNSW)
Date: Tuesday 24th August 2004
Time: 2:00 pm
Venue: RC-3084, The Red Centre, UNSW
The metric geometry of Euclid is limited by the transcendental nature of the basic concepts of distance and angle. Rational trigonometry dispenses with distance and angles in favour of quadrance and spreads, and so opens the door to a much wider algebraic form of metric geometry valid over general fields. After some review of the basics, I will describe the laws of proportion, circle theorems, the four point relation, and applications to the surveying problems of Snellius-Pothenot and Hansen. This foundational talk is meant for a general audience.