Mathematics with Python and Ruby/Quaternions in Ruby

Complex numbers As was seen in the preceding chapter, a complex number is an object comprising 2 real numbers (called real and imag by Ruby). This is the Cayley-Dickson construction of the complex numbers. In a very similar manner, a quaternion can be considered as made of 2 complex numbers. Historically, Hamilton constructed the quaternions as quadruples of real numbers. This can also be done in Ruby, but it will be left as an exercise. In all the following, cmath will be used as it handles fractions automatically. This chapter is in some way different from the preceding ones, as it shows how to create brand new objects in Ruby, and not how to use already available objects. Quaternions Definition and display Definition The definition of a quaternion finds its shelter in a class which is called Quaternion: class Quaternion end The first method of a quaternion will be its instantiation: Instantiation def initialize(a,b) @a,@b = a,b end From now on, a and b (which will be complex numbers) will be the 2 quaternion's attributes Attributes a and b As the two numbers which define a quaternion are complex, it is not appropriate to call them the real and imaginary parts. Besides, an other stage will be necessary with the octonions later on. So the shortest names have been chosen, and they will be called the a of the quaternion, and its b. def a @a end def b @b end From now on it is possible to access to the a and b part of a quaternion q with q.a and q.b. Display In order that it be easy to display a quaternion q with puts(q) it is necessary to redefine a method to_s for it (a case of polymorphism). There are several choices but this one works OK: def to_s '('+a.real.to_s+')+('+a.imag.to_s+')i+('+b.real.to_s+')j+('+b.imag.to_s+')k' end To read it loud it is better to read from right to left. For example, a.real denotes the real part of a and q.a.real denotes the real part of the a part of q. Functions Modulus The absolute value of a quaternion is a (positive) real number. def abs Math.hypot(@a.abs,@b.abs) end Conjugate The conjugate of a quaternion is another quaternion, having the same modulus. def conj Quaternion.new(@a.conj,-@b) end Operations Addition To add two quaternions, just add their as together, and their bs together: def +(q) Quaternion.new(@a+q.a,@b+q.b) end Subtraction The use of the - symbol is an other case of polymorphism, which allows to write rather simply the subtraction. def -(q) Quaternion.new(@a-q.a,@b-q.b) end Multiplication Multiplication of the quaternions is more complex (!): def *(q) Quaternion.new(@a*q.a-@b*q.b.conj,@a*q.b+@b*q.a.conj) end This multiplication is not commutative, as can be checked by the following examples: p=Quaternion.new(Complex(2,1),Complex(3,4)) q=Quaternion.new(Complex(2,5),Complex(-3,-5)) puts(p*q) puts(q*p) Division The division can be defined as this: def /(q) d=q.abs**2 Quaternion.new((@a*q.a.conj+@b*q.b.conj)/d,(-@a*q.b+@b*q.a)/d) end As they have the same modulus, the quotient of a quaternion by its conjugate has modulus one: p=Quaternion.new(Complex(2,1),Complex(3,4)) puts((p/p.conj).abs) This last example digs that , or , which is a decomposition of as a sum of 4 squares. Quaternion class in Ruby The complete class is here: require 'cmath' class Quaternion def initialize(a,b) @a,@b = a,b end def a @a end def b @b end def to_s '('+a.real.to_s+')+('+a.imag.to_s+')i+('+b.real.to_s+')j+('+b.imag.to_s+')k' end def +(q) Quaternion.new(@a+q.a,@b+q.b) end def -(q) Quaternion.new(@a-q.a,@b-q.b) end def *(q) Quaternion.new(@a*q.a-@b*q.b.conj,@a*q.b+@b*q.a.conj) end def abs Math.hypot(@a.abs,@b.abs) end def conj Quaternion.new(@a.conj,-@b) end def /(q) d=q.abs**2 Quaternion.new((@a*q.a.conj+@b*q.b.conj)/d,(-@a*q.b+@b*q.a.conj)/d) end end If this content is saved in a text file called quaternion.rb, after require 'quaternion' one can make computations on quaternions. Octonions One interesting fact about the Cayley-Dickson which has been used for the quaternions above, is that it can be generalized, for example for the octonions. Definition and display Definition All the following methods will be enclosed in a class called Octonion: class Octonion def initialize(a,b) @a,@b = a,b end def a @a end def b @b end At this point, there is not much difference from the quaternion object. Only, for an octonion, a and b will be quaternions, not complex numbers. Ruby will know it when a and b will be instantiated. Display The to_s method of an octonion (converting it to a string object so that it can be displayed) is very similar to the quaternion equivalent, only there are 8 real numbers to display now: def to_s '('+a.a.real.to_s+')+('+a.a.imag.to_s+')i+('+a.b.real.to_s+')j+('+a.b.imag.to_s+')k+('+b.a.real.to_s+')l+('+b.a.imag.to_s+')li+('+b.b.real.to_s+')lj+('+b.b.imag.to_s+')lk' end The first of these numbers is the real part of the a part of the first quaternion, which is the octonions's a! Accessing to this real part of the a part of the octonion's a part, requires to go through a binary tree which depth is 3. Functions Thanks to Cayley and Dickson, the methods needed for octonions computing are similar to the quaternion's. Modulus Same than for the quaternions: def abs Math.hypot(@a.abs,@b.abs) end Conjugate def conj Octonion.new(@a.conj,Quaternion.new(0,0)-@b) end Operations Addition Like for the quaternions, one has just to add the as and the bs separately (only now the a and b part are quaternions): def +(o) Octonion.new(@a+o.a,@b+o.b) end Subtraction def -(o) Octonion.new(@a-o.a,@b-o.b) end Multiplication def *(o) Octonion.new(@a*o.a-o.b*@b.conj,@a.conj*o.b+o.a*@b) end This multiplication is still not commutative, but it is even not associative either! m=Octonion.new(p,q) n=Octonion.new(q,p) o=Octonion.new(p,p) puts((m*n)*o) puts(m*(n*o)) Division def /(o) d=1/o.abs**2 Octonion.new((@a*o.a.conj+o.b*@b.conj)*Quaternion.new(d,0),(Quaternion.new(0,0)-@a.conj*o.b+o.a.conj*@b)*Quaternion.new(d,0)) end Here again, the division of an octonion by its conjugate has modulus 1: puts(m/m.conj) puts((m/m.conj).abs) The octonion class in Ruby The file is not much heavier than the quaternion's one: class Octonion def initialize(a,b) @a,@b = a,b end def a @a end def b @b end def to_s '('+a.a.real.to_s+')+('+a.a.imag.to_s+')i+('+a.b.real.to_s+')j+('+a.b.imag.to_s+')k+('+b.a.real.to_s+')l+('+b.a.imag.to_s+')li+('+b.b.real.to_s+')lj+('+b.b.imag.to_s+')lk' end def +(o) Octonion.new(@a+o.a,@b+o.b) end def -(o) Octonion.new(@a-o.a,@b-o.b) end def *(o) Octonion.new(@a*o.a-o.b*@b.conj,@a.conj*o.b+o.a*@b) end def abs Math.hypot(@a.abs,@b.abs) end def conj Octonion.new(@a.conj,Quaternion.new(0,0)-@b) end def /(o) d=1/o.abs**2 Octonion.new((@a*o.a.conj+o.b*@b.conj)*Quaternion.new(d,0),(Quaternion.new(0,0)-@a.conj*o.b+o.a.conj*@b)*Quaternion.new(d,0)) end end Saving it as octonions.rb, any script beginning by require 'octonions' allows computing on octonions. Bibliography Actually, there is already a quaternion support for Ruby, but it is not (yet) native: ; on the same site, there is also a file for the octonions, which is interesting to compare to the above one. A "best-downloader" book on octonions is John Baez's one: