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Quote#Children

How could the square of a vector be negative? And Hamilton was so…

Quote byOliver Heaviside · 1850–1925

Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: Electromagnetic Theory (1912), Volume III; Appendix K: Vector Analysis, p. 135; "The Electrician" Pub. Co., London..

English (original)

How could the square of a vector be negative? And Hamilton was so positive about it. After the deepest research, the youth gave it up, and returned the books. He then died, and was never seen again. He had begun the study of Quaternions too soon.

— Oliver Heaviside

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