哈密顿(WilliamR.Hamilton,1805-1865)是19世纪前期的爱尔兰数学家,被誉为“是使爱尔兰人在数学领域中享有盛誉的最伟大的人物”[1],又被誉为“英国数学史上仅次于牛顿的最伟大的数学兼物理学家”[2].哈密顿最重要的数学成果是创造了四元数.他一生中有三分之一的时间用在了四元 William R. Hamilton (1805-1865), an Irish mathematician from the early 19th century, was hailed as “the greatest figure that made Irish people have a good reputation in the field of mathematics” [1] The greatest mathematics and physicist second only to Newton in the history of mathematics. "2 The most important mathematical result of Hamilton was the creation of quaternions, and one-third of his life was spent on quaternions