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Orthogonality for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: ɔr,θɑɡə'nælɪti

What does Orthogonality really mean?

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Orthogonality is a big and fancy word, but don't worry, I'm here to break it down for you in the simplest way possible! So, imagine you have a piece of paper with a straight horizontal line and a straight vertical line crossing each other, just like a big plus sign (+).

Now, imagine that these two lines are like two separate ideas or concepts. When we talk about orthogonality, we mean that these ideas or concepts are totally independent or unrelated to each other. They don't have any connection or influence on one another. It's like when you have a math problem and you're trying to solve for the value of x, the answer you get for y shouldn't affect what x is, and vice versa!

Now, let's take a closer look at some different situations where orthogonality plays a role:

Situation 1: Imagine you have a puzzle with different pieces that need to fit together. The pieces are like different aspects of a problem. If each piece can be put together in any way, no matter which piece you start with, then we can say that the puzzle pieces are orthogonal. It means that the order in which you put the pieces together doesn't matter. Each piece is independent, and they don't depend on any other piece to fit properly. They can be moved around or placed in any order and still work.

Situation 2: Let's say you have a group of friends, and each one has their own hobby or interest. One friend loves playing basketball, another friend loves painting, and another friend loves cooking. Even though their hobbies are different, we can say that their interests are orthogonal to each other. It means that each friend can enjoy their own hobby without it affecting the others. You can have a basketball game going on at the same time someone is painting a beautiful picture, and it won't interfere with each other's activities.

So, to sum it all up, orthogonality means that two things or ideas are completely separate and don't influence or depend on each other in any way. It's like the independent pieces of a puzzle or the different hobbies of your friends. I hope this explanation helps you understand orthogonality in a clear and simple way!


Revised and Fact checked by Emma Williams on 2023-10-29 14:32:55

Orthogonality In a sentece

Learn how to use Orthogonality inside a sentece

  • Two lines that intersect each other at a right angle are orthogonal.
  • When you connect two points with a straight line that meets another line at a right angle, it shows orthogonality.
  • If two vectors in mathematics are perpendicular to each other, they are considered orthogonal.
  • In a right-angled triangle, the sides that are not the hypotenuse are orthogonal to each other.
  • Imagine a square or rectangle where all the internal angles are right angles. The sides of the shape would be orthogonal to each other.

Orthogonality Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

orthogonal opposition perpendicularity

Orthogonality Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.

oblongness opposition rectangularity