SMS scnews item created by Emma Carberry at Thu 25 Mar 2010 2133
Type: Seminar
Distribution: World
Expiry: 30 Mar 2010
Calendar1: 30 Mar 2010 1200-1300
CalLoc1: UNSW Red Centre 4082
Auth: carberry@60-241-127-220.static.tpgi.com.au (carberry) in SMS-WASM

# UNSW Pure Maths Seminar: Wildberger -- Rotor coordinates, vector trigonometry and Kepler-Newton orbits

Rotor coordinates provide a new algebraic alternative to polar
coordinates for describing kinematic motion. Here we provide an
introduction to this vector trigonometry’, relating it to the usual
tan of half the angle’ substitution in calculus, and using it to derive
some basic facts about motion in fixed and moving reference frames.

These ideas are then used for an alternative approach to one of the key
derivations of modern science: Newton’s explanation of Kepler’s elliptic
orbits for a body moving in a central inverse square law force field.


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