[oclug] Case Closed

[Matthew Wilcox]

On Thu, Jul 31, 2003 at 08:02:21PM -0400, Francis J. A. Pinteric wrote:
> That is why Newton and Leibniz are credited equally with the invention
> of the Calculus.  Unless you are English.  Or German.

Um, I'm English and was educated in England.  I was taught about the
simultaneous invention of calculus.  It's hardly the only case --
remember the furore about who invented the telephone earlier this year?

> P.S.  For those who don't realize, the standard syntax of modern
> Differential Calculus is that which was invented by Leibniz.  Newton's
> notation was somewhat more concise, but harder to read.  It employed a
> system of dots to designate derivatives, while Leibniz employed the
> familar `d' syntax that violates all of our highschool student's rules
> about algebra they just learned. So whether the notation of Newton
> or that of Leibniz is easier to read depends only on becoming
> familiar with both. [It's NOT multiplication? The`2' is NOT squared?-- I
> hope there is at least one highschool student in the audience.  They
> *do* teach the Calculus in highscool do they? I was 10 when I learned
> it, so pardon my ignorance.] 

Again, not entirely true.  Yes, the d/dx form is more widely used in
mathematics, but the x-dot / x-dotdot notation is still used in physics
to represent speed (or velocity) and acceleration respectively.

-- 
"It's not Hollywood.  War is real, war is primarily not about defeat or
victory, it is about death.  I've seen thousands and thousands of dead bodies.
Do you think I want to have an academic debate on this subject?" -- Robert Fisk