After the death of J. J. Sylvester (1814-1897), self-proclaimed inventor of mathematical ideas and terms, he coined terms such as “matrix” and “discriminant”, his terminologies live on. In the theory of equations, he finally proved a method for determining maximum number of positive and negative real roots therefore the least possible number of imaginary roots. Considering geometry versus analysis, he thought geometry must take precedence: “as a servant goes before the master to clear the path and light him on his way.” He founded the 1st mathematical journal in the U.S.A. named American Journal of Mathematics in 1878 at the time a professor of John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. For more than 50 years, he worked on the theory of determinants where one of his major accomplishments was the dialytic method for eliminating x in simultaneous solutions of higher degrees polynomials. Nevertheless, his most lasting contribution was in the theory of algebraic invariants related to algebraic geometry. However, later authoritative derision made by D. Hilbert (1862-1943) created effects for the decline or even closure of interest even though the search for geometric and physical invariants remains important to these days for final unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity.
The modern extension of invariant theory became a major part of abstract algebra of hypercomplex numbers, for examples: vectors, tensors, quaternions, spinors, and twistors. However, all these subsumed the inclusion of imaginary unity. On the other hand, an extension stemming from the abstract algebra of ring gives a particular kind of associative (friendly) Hadamard algebras which can be made to operate only on real rational matrices.


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