Talk:Parametric equation

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[edit] Unknown knowns

What is this? Unknown

[edit] MERGE Vector-valued function to here

The description on the vector-valued function article currently sounds exactly like parametric curves (parametric equations with one parameter) discussed on this article; and is also related to what is discussed on the differential geometry of curves article. --Spoon! 04:29, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

I'd probably say they deserve seperate articles. vector-valued function are a special case of Parametric equations, indeed they are parametric curves, although I think a parametric curve would need to be continuous, whereas a vector valued function need not be. There is great scope for expansion in the treatment of this special case, which I think deserves a seperate article. --Salix alba (talk) 08:31, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

As the author of the other article I think that they ought to remain seperate. More can and should be said about them. BrokenSegue 15:38, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree they should be kept seperate, much more could be added to this article as it is a subject that is included in many maths and engineering courses at many levels. I think it would be useful to add some more examples, explain why adding an extra parameter is useful. I also think that as with many maths topics a section entitled something like 'Real World Applications' or just 'Applications' should be added. With a better title. Reason being, a lot of people do not realise where some areas of mathmatics are used. DougBrown 17:41, 2 November 2006 (UTC)

I also agree that they should be kept separate. A vector-valued function is any function f: R^m → Rⁿ with n≥2 (n=1 corresponds to a scalar field), so technically a parametrization of a curve (f: R¹ → Rⁿ) or of a surface (f: R² → R³) is a vector-valued function. However, both are important special cases (see line integral and surface integral, for example, for why) that deserve to have articles of their own. A merger with parametric curve and/or parametric surface might make more sense. FilipeS 21:29, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Most people seem to be against the merge. I've remove the notice. --Salix alba (talk) 00:30, 8 November 2006 (UTC)