[Jprogramming] The word for arrays of rank > 2

[Devon McCormick]

I believe I heard (maybe from Ken?) that matrix is from the Latin "Mater"
(mother) because of the various factorization methods that create smaller
matrixes from an original one.

On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 6:15 PM, Alexander Mikhailov <avmich at yahoo.com>wrote:

>
>
> Having word "matrix" (where it came from?..) and tradition in J to name
> things with non-traditional names (verb, noun), I'd vote for orthotope.
> Unmistakeable, succinct.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Henry Rich <HenryHRich at nc.rr.com>
> To: Programming forum <programming at jsoftware.com>
> Cc:
> Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2011 7:10 PM
> Subject: [Jprogramming] The word for arrays of rank > 2
>
> 'cube' was suggested.  Raul objected that a cube should have all axes of
> equal length.
>
> 'cuboid' has been used in Ye Dic (in the description of ;.0).  According
> to Wikipedia a cuboid should have rank 3.  And the word seems strained.
>
> 'hyperrectangle' is used, but it's a fifty-cent word for a ten-cent idea.
>
> A fancier word is 'orthotope'.  Great if you're a Greek scholar.
>
> Also, 'box', which would be perfect if we weren't using it already.
>
> How about 'brick'? or 'block'?
>
> I like 'brick', followed by 'cube'.
>
> Henry Rich
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-- 
Devon McCormick, CFA
^me^ at acm.
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