epäortogonaalinen

epäortogonaalinen is a Finnish adjective that translates to "non-orthogonal" in English. It is used to describe a situation, system, or object where components, vectors, or elements are not at right angles to each other. In mathematics and physics, orthogonality signifies a specific relationship, often perpendicularity, between geometric objects or functions. When something is described as epäortogonaalinen, it means this condition of perpendicularity or independence is not met.

For instance, in linear algebra, vectors that are epäortogonaalinen do not form a 90-degree angle. This has implications for how they are represented and manipulated in vector spaces. Similarly, in signal processing, orthogonal functions are often used for signal decomposition because they are independent. If the basis functions are epäortogonaalinen, the decomposition becomes more complex, and the resulting components may have overlapping information.

The concept of epäortogonaalinen can also extend beyond purely mathematical contexts. It might be used metaphorically to describe situations where different aspects or goals are not aligned or do not work together harmoniously. In essence, epäortogonaalinen highlights a lack of independence or a deviation from a standard, perpendicular relationship.