wedge product: more universal than cross product

[Jane Jackson <jane.jackson@ASU.EDU>]

John Denker posted:
>   -- cross products are bad news because they don't work
>      in two dimensions or in four dimensions, but there
>      is something else (the wedge product) that works just
>      fine and allows you to exploit the similarities between
>      two, three, and four dimensions.

The wedge product is a fundamental concept in geometric algebra. Read about
it on David Hestenes' web site:
         http://modelingnts.la.asu.edu/
If you're attending the AAPT meeting in Boise, consider registering for his
workshop (W43) on Sunday, 1 - 5 PM. The abstract is as follows:

"Geometric algebra (GA) has been developed into a unified mathematical
language for the whole of physics, equally applicable to elementary
mechanics, electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, and relativity. This
tutorial is an introduction to GA and its vast range of applications,
showing how GA simplifies the formulation and solution of fundamental
equations of physics, while providing new insights into their geometric
structure and interconnections."

David Hestenes' Oersted Lecture on GA will be published in AJP.
cheers,
Jane Jackson

Jane Jackson, Co-Director, Modeling Instruction Program
Box 871504, Dept.of Physics & Astronomy,ASU,Tempe,AZ 85287
480-965-8438/fax:965-7331  <http://modeling.asu.edu>
"the gift of fantasy [creative imagination] has meant more
to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge."
                              -Albert Einstein