Ok, everyone who''s programmed in C++ knows that you can have matrices of unlimited dimensions. Now, what I''m proposing is this: The only way to truly picture a 4th dimension is to picture a 3 dimensional block made of 3x3x3 smaller blocks (in C++ terms, our data). To picture a 4th dimension, and every other dimension after that, you must picture in your head this block, with an x,y,z, and then also picturing another plane that goes inwards itself on each x,y,z spot. Almost like a long list, we might be able to call these planes xyz0, xyz1, and etc for each extra dimension. so, tell me what you think, maybe i''m wrong, maybe i''m right, only depends on what everyone else thinks! -jverkoey

Physically, you can''t draw the 4th dimension. Its not just a collection of 3x3 3d blocks.. that would just be another 3dimensional object. Its another division, thats all I can say.

Some think the fourth dimension is time.

well, i'm not saying that we're drawing in the 4th dimension, i'm just saying that's how you could picture it in your mind

and besides, who's to say the 4th dimension is time, if it were, wouldn't we technically be traveling through 2 dimensions at once? our 3rd dimension along with the 4th dimension of time?

[edited by - jverkoey on January 30, 2003 5:06:20 PM]

An the 5th Dimension the human mind. hmmm.

If you think that the representation of a 0D dimension is a point.
If you think that the representation of a 1D dimension is an infinite line, which is an infinite succesion of connected points.
If you think that the representation of a 2D dimension is an infinite plane, which is an infinite succession of connected lines.
If you think that the representation of a 3D dimension is an infinite cube, which is an infinite succession of connected planes.
Then, yes the representation of a 4D dimension is a infinite succession of infinite cubes, connected.

The thing being, I don''t get the point of that discussion !

quote:

---

Original post by jverkoey
and besides, who''s to say the 4th dimension is time, if it were, wouldn''t we technically be traveling through 2 dimensions at once? our 3rd dimension along with the 4th dimension of time?

[edited by - jverkoey on January 30, 2003 5:06:20 PM]

---

No, you would be traveling along all of them at the same time, not just two.
The fift dimention would be some kind of paralell universes.
the rest of them are undefinable.

There are actual scientific theories for up to 11 dimensions, and currently there is a giant machine being constructed somewhere (can't remeber where, its not N/S America) that will hopefully prove that theory and a bunch of other ones either true or false (they know it will provide data on the theories, but not if it will be enough to prove/disprove them)

[edited by - Extrarius on January 30, 2003 5:53:42 PM]

Actually it was Minkowski who brought up the idea of seeing time as the 4th dimension, and Einstein picked it up, so i''d say it''s physically valid to say time is the 4th dimension.

Another way to grasp the concept of dimensions is to look at it trough the ''shadow'' it makes on a plane perpendicular to it, or in other words: the result of cutting the object with a plane:

0 dimensions: point (and this is really valid as every linear algebra book will tell you, even if it''s somehow weird to have something with 0 dimensions )
1 dimension: line. Cut a line with a plane and you get a point
2 dimensions: plane/polygon. cut a plane with another one and you get a line
3 dimensions: cube/sphere/etc. Cut it with a plane and you get a polygon or elliptical shape
4 dimensions: hypercube/hypersphere etc. now just try to imagine an object which has a three-dimensional shadow

but i usually find it easier to think of the 4th dimension of an object as something like a color, greyness or luminance value.

or from a mathematical viewpoint: the dimension of an object is just the minimum number of linear independent vectors (not sure if its really called that way in english, but you get what i mean ) that can produce all points of the vectorspace in which the object lies

ok and now forgive me my babble, but i''m learning towards my linear algebra final exam next week and have my head full of n-dimesnional vectorspaces, linear combinations and matrices

---

Runicsoft -- latest attraction: obfuscated Brainfuck Interpreter in SML
( This post was made entirely from re-cycled electrons )

quote:

---

Original post by Extrarius
There are actual scientific theories for up to 11 dimensions, and currently there is a giant machine being constructed somewhere (can''t remeber where, its not N/S America) that will hopefully prove that theory and a bunch of other ones either true or false (they know it will provide data on the theories, but not if it will be enough to prove/disprove them)

---

hehe after the last article i read on that topic the latest string-theory states that space is made out of the 3 infinte dimensions we ''experience'', and 6 folded up dimensions, meaning that every ''point'' of the universe is actually a tiny 6-dimensional space.
but since there''s a new theory popping up every few weeks i don''t give to much on those
let''s better get back to maths and look at n-dimensional stuff hehe

---

Runicsoft -- latest attraction: obfuscated Brainfuck Interpreter in SML
( This post was made entirely from re-cycled electrons )

Think about this:

In 1 dimensions a point lives on a line, and he sees a line perpendicular to his world_line as a point_wall...

In 2 dimensions a quad lives on a plane, and he sees a plane perpendicular to his plane_world as a line_wall...

In 3 dimensions a jverkoey lives on a space, and he sees a space perpendicular to his world as a plane_wall... ¿¿

---

This thread is going to be moved to the lounge or many posts will be erased...

EDIT: I really need to sleep...

[edited by - xaxa on January 31, 2003 12:43:17 PM]