"quadratic" - 4 of what?
"quadratic" - 4 of what?
(OP)
The meaning of the terms quadratic polynomial (Ax^2+Bx+C) and quadratic equation (Ax^2+Bx+C=0) are well known.
Why the root word "quad"? 4 of what?
Why the root word "quad"? 4 of what?
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RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
From Latin, quadratus = square, pp. of quadrare = to square. It is related to quattuor "four".
RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
It brings to mind another question. How did the term "square" come to describe x^2
(because the area of a square is the second power of it's length?)
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RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
area of square is L^2
hence the term quadratic equation
volume of cube is L^3
hence the term cubic equation
Still kind of bizarre that we use the term "quad" to refer to a square when the aspect of that square we are referring to is the A=L^2 aspect.
Thx. You solved the mystery. No I can look smart in front of my kids (I'll tell 'em I knew it all along).
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RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
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RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
BTW, polynomials of a higher degree are named: quartic, quintic, sextic, septic(!), octic, and so on, n-tic polynomials....
RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
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RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
Here is a good paper for the physical interpretation of the polynomials including imaginary numbers. The mind boggling logic by Gauss is worth reading.
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RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
From Latin, quadratus = square, pp. of quadrare = to square. It is related to quattuor "four".
RE: "quadratic" - 4 of what?
"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
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