Wilhelm Killing

Wilhelm Karl Joseph Killing (1847 May 10 – 1923 February 11) was a German mathematician who made important contributions to the theories of Lie algebras, Lie groups, and non-Euclidean geometry.

Related Topics:
1847 - May 10 - 1923 - February 11 - German - Mathematician - Lie algebra - Lie group - Non-Euclidean geometry

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Killing invented Lie algebras independently of Sophus Lie around 1880. He made important contributions to the classification of simple Lie algebras, inventing the notions of a Cartan subalgebra and the Cartan matrix. He also introduced the notion of a root system. He is the discoverer of the exceptional Lie algebra g2 (in 1887); his root system classification showed up all the exceptional cases, but concrete constructions came later.

Related Topics:
Lie algebra - Sophus Lie - 1880 - Simple Lie algebra - Cartan subalgebra - Cartan matrix - Root system - Exceptional Lie algebra - ''g''₂

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Killing also introduced the term characteristic equation of a matrix.

Related Topics:
Characteristic equation - Matrix

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