Re:Mathematicians should stop naming things after each other
by yeellow on Sunday September 06, 2020 @03:51AM
(#24389775)
But could you propose a better name for the math terms you mentioned? Fermat last theorem for example is famous because of its history and not significance and I don't think any other name would be better. Pythagorus theorem - how to call it with a short and significant name? The only option I can think of is "a squared plus b squared equals c squared" which is hardly a good name :)
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Re:Mathematicians should stop naming things after each other
by sriku on Sunday September 06, 2020 @08:59AM
(#24391019)
The alternative "Euclidean distance" is already half way there and is better since we at least know it's about "distance". At this point, offering any alternative will feel alien and unfamiliar, but "Linear distance" works for me if I feel the need to push Euclid out as well.
edit: If I want to talk about distance in a curved space, we already have a well named "Geodesic distance".
Re:Mathematicians should stop naming things after each other
by diffeomorphism on Sunday September 06, 2020 @12:23PM
(#24392429)
That sounds like a different theorem. While it conincides with sums of squares of distances for the Euclidean setting, for the case of a sphere or other manifold it is decidedly about triangles, not so much distances.