Comment Re:I don't see how this is "easier" (Score 2, Interesting) 966
> Imagine if we'd been using "quadrance" and "spread" for years - and then
> some bright spark suggested calculated using sines and cosines.
It would be an amazing breakthrough, because there are some very important things which are simpler and easier using sines and cosines. Read some of the other comments about the effect of rational geometry to calculus. Sines and cosines show up all over physics and more specialized descriptions of the real world (chemistry, thermodynamics, electrical engineering, etc).
Many people have been asking the question (and I haven't seen anybody posting an answer) about what is really easier to do using quadrance and spread that we don't already use some similar form for?
> some bright spark suggested calculated using sines and cosines.
It would be an amazing breakthrough, because there are some very important things which are simpler and easier using sines and cosines. Read some of the other comments about the effect of rational geometry to calculus. Sines and cosines show up all over physics and more specialized descriptions of the real world (chemistry, thermodynamics, electrical engineering, etc).
Many people have been asking the question (and I haven't seen anybody posting an answer) about what is really easier to do using quadrance and spread that we don't already use some similar form for?
