Tutorial

Geometry of Complex Data

Volume Number:
31
Issue Number:
3
Pages:
Starting page
32
Ending page
69
Publication Date:
Publication Date
March 2016

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Abstract

Geometric algebra has been called a “unified language for mathematics and physics.” Sometimes known as Clifford algebra, it is based on the notion of an invertible product of vectors that captures the geometric relationship between two vectors, i.e., their relative magnitudes and the angle between them. This seemingly simple concept leads to a rich system of algebra and calculus that encompasses the diverse areas of complex numbers, quaternions, vectors, tensors, spinors, and differential forms. This tutorial provides a basic introduction to geometric algebra and presents formulations of known electrical engineering and signal processing concepts to illustrate some inherent advantages of geometric algebra for formulating and solving problems involving vectors. Being introductory, the goal of the tutorial is to introduce this emerging area that, although old as a mathematics discipline, has only recently started to garner significant attention in engineering communities. Geometric algebra should give another potentially powerful tool for pursuing research in any area that uses vectors.