Definition:Euclidean Metric
Contents
Definition
Let $M_{1'} = \struct {A_{1'}, d_{1'} }$ and $M_{2'} = \struct {A_{2'}, d_{2'} }$ be metric spaces.
Let $A_{1'} \times A_{2'}$ be the cartesian product of $A_{1'}$ and $A_{2'}$.
The Euclidean metric on $A_{1'} \times A_{2'}$ is defined as:
- $\map {d_2} {x, y} := \paren {\paren {\map {d_{1'} } {x_1, y_1} }^2 + \paren {\map {d_{2'} } {x_2, y_2} }^2}^{1/2}$
where $x = \tuple {x_1, x_2}, y = \tuple {y_1, y_2} \in A_{1'} \times A_{2'}$.
General Definition
The Euclidean metric on $\displaystyle \mathcal A = \prod_{i \mathop = 1}^n A_{i'}$ is defined as:
- $\displaystyle d_2 \left({x, y}\right) := \left({\sum_{i \mathop = 1}^n \left({d_{i'} \left({x_i, y_i}\right)}\right)^2}\right)^{\frac 1 2}$
where $x = \left({x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n}\right), y = \left({y_1, y_2, \ldots, y_n}\right) \in \mathcal A$.
Special Cases
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Real Number Plane
The Euclidean metric on $\R^2$ is defined as:
- $\displaystyle \map {d_2} {x, y} := \sqrt {\paren {x_1 - y_1}^2 + \paren {x_2 - y_2}^2}$
where $x = \tuple {x_1, x_2}, y = \tuple {y_1, y_2} \in \R^2$.
Rational Number Plane
The Euclidean metric on $\Q^2$ is defined as:
- $\displaystyle d_2 \left({x, y}\right) := \sqrt{\left({x_1 - y_1}\right)^2 + \left({x_2 - y_2}\right)^2}$
where $x = \left({x_1, x_2}\right), y = \left({y_1, y_2}\right) \in \Q^2$.
Complex Plane
The Euclidean metric on $\C$ is defined as:
- $\displaystyle \forall z_1, z_2 \in \C: \map d {z_1, z_2} := \size {z_1 - z_2}$
where $\size {z_1 - z_2}$ denotes the modulus of $z_1 - z_2$.
Also known as
The Euclidean metric is also known as the Euclidean distance.
Some sources refer to it as the Cartesian distance, for René Descartes.
Also see
- Results about the Euclidean metric can be found here.
Source of Name
This entry was named for Euclid.
Historical Note
Euclid himself did not in fact conceive of the Euclidean metric and its associated Euclidean space, Euclidean topology and Euclidean norm.
They bear that name because the geometric space which it gives rise to is Euclidean in the sense that it is consistent with Euclid's fifth postulate.
Sources
- 1967: George McCarty: Topology: An Introduction with Application to Topological Groups ... (previous) ... (next): $\text{III}$: Pythagoras' Theorem
- 1975: W.A. Sutherland: Introduction to Metric and Topological Spaces ... (previous) ... (next): $2.2$: Examples: Example $2.2.7$
- 1989: Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): Entry: Euclidean distance or Cartesian distance
- 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Entry: Euclidean metric
- 2014: Christopher Clapham and James Nicholson: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Mathematics (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Entry: Euclidean distance (Cartesian distance)
