i^2 = j^2 = k^2 = ijk=−1. rumusan ini datang tiba-tiba ketika Hamilton berjalan
bersama istrinya untuk menghadiri pertemuan yang dipimpinnya di Akademi
Kerajaan Irlandia di Dublin.Rumusan dasar tersebut ia tulis di atas batu di
jembatan Brougham, Dublin. Rumusan quaternion yang ditulis oleh Hamilton diatas
batu di jembatan Brougham
http://images.google.co.id/imgres?imgurl=http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/e/ed/Quaternion_Plague_on_Broom_Bridge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.answers.com/topic/william-rowan-hamilton&h=179&w=250&sz=26&hl=id&start=9&usg=__ofq-6cCxldto32UJ2jpU2K-TJ_k=&tbnid=OwC3CyvsLLKKVM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHamiltonian%2Bequation%2BBrougham,%2BDublin%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Did%26sa%3DG
Hamilton, William Rowan (1805-1865), polymath;
born in Dublin and educated at TCD, he is best remembered for his
mathematical theory of quaternions. In 1822, while still an
undergraduate, he was appointed superintendent of Dunsink Observatory
and Professor of Astronomy at TCD. Besides classical and European
languages, he studied Arabic and Sanskrit. He accompanied William
Wordsworth on his tour of Ireland. He wrote some notable philosophical
sonnets.
