I generally do not include textbooks that are this old anywhere on The Free Textbook List except in the literature section. However, from what I have researched, quaternions is a field of study where students may benefit from what might be the first textbook written on the topic as the material may not have changed significantly through the years.
Back in 1843, Sir William Rowan Hamilton, the Royal Astronomer of Ireland, presented his first paper on the subject of The Theory of Quaternions. 53 years later, Arthur S. Hathaway of Rose Polytechnic Institute (now the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology), published his text – A Primer of Quaternions. This text provides students with a fundamental understanding of quaternions. Prerequisites include a ‘thorough knowledge’ of algebra and geometry.
The fine folks at Gutenberg.org are offering this textbook freely to everyone as a single PDF file.
Table of Contents for A Primer of Quaternions Online Textbook
- Steps
- Rotations. Turns. Arc Steps
- Quaternions
- Equations of First Degree
View this Free Online Material at the source:
A Primer of Quaternions
