Triangles in the 3d world.

Okay, I did some reading, and here is what I know.

Triangle (2D) CAN exit in the third dimension (xyz axis). However, it will still have no thickness. Because of this, even though it can exist in the third dimension, in our physical world, it does not exist. This is because even though our world IS third dimensional, it requires thickness.

However, I'm not super clear on why it can exist in the third dimension even though it has no thickness. Is it just because it does? Or is there an explanation on why?

Thanks!
When you ask for directions and someone tells you "go straight", what do you do? I think you follow the directions. Do you stop and think about the 1D shape "line" that can't exist in our 3D world? No. You just walk along a straight line.
 
Okay, I did some reading, and here is what I know.

Triangle (2D) CAN exit in the third dimension (xyz axis). However, it will still have no thickness. Because of this, even though it can exist in the third dimension, in our physical world, it does not exist. This is because even though our world IS third dimensional, it requires thickness.

However, I'm not super clear on why it can exist in the third dimension even though it has no thickness. Is it just because it does? Or is there an explanation on why?

Thanks!
I don't think your question has anything to do with the real world and thickness. That's not involved in the bit of the video you picked out. There, we're considering ideal, geometrical points in space. Points have no size. But if you pick any three points, there is one plane that passes through all of them. That's the plane mentioned in the video.
 
Okay, I did some reading, and here is what I know.
Triangle (2D) CAN exit in the third dimension (xyz axis). However, it will still have no thickness. Because of this, even though it can exist in the third dimension, in our physical world, it does not exist. This is because even though our world IS third dimensional, it requires thickness.
However, I'm not super clear on why it can exist in the third dimension even though it has no thickness. Is it just because it does? Or is there an explanation on why?
You have just proven my point about your not understanding concepts in geometry. A point has no dimension. A line has no dimension. A plane has no dimension. You seem to think of dimension as something like thickness. But thickness is not a basic geometrical property.
Please get some authoritative text material to help you through this maze.
 
Sorry for wasting your time everyone, but I did watch quite a bit of Khan Academy on planes in 3dimensional, and here is what I got.

3 points create a plane, so when Khan Academy plotted those three points in my original question, it created a unique 2 dimensional plane that goes in every single direction.Screen Shot 2020-04-23 at 8.02.38 PM.png(pretend there are arrows to show that it is going endlessly). So, after this, Sal connects the points, creating a triangle ON the plane (So the triangle is stil in the second dimension, but the plane itself is in the third is in the third dimension).

This is my understanding so far. Any critiques?
 
Sorry for wasting your time everyone, but I did watch quite a bit of Khan Academy on planes in 3dimensional, and here is what I got.

3 points create a plane, so when Khan Academy plotted those three points in my original question, it created a unique 2 dimensional plane that goes in every single direction.View attachment 18147(pretend there are arrows to show that it is going endlessly). So, after this, Sal connects the points, creating a triangle ON the plane (So the triangle is stil in the second dimension, but the plane itself is in the third is in the third dimension).

This is my understanding so far. Any critiques?
Yes, the plane is 'endless'. Yes, the triangle is on the plane. No, the triangle is not in the second dimension and the plane is not in the third. They both are in 3d space. They both have zero thickness.
 
Yes, the plane is 'endless'. Yes, the triangle is on the plane. No, the triangle is not in the second dimension and the plane is not in the third. They both are in 3d space. They both have zero thickness.
I mean to say the plane is in the second dimension. But, if the triangle and (maybe) plane are not 2 dimensional, and they exist in the 3d space, then what are they?
 
I mean to say the plane is in the second dimension. But, if the triangle and (maybe) plane are not 2 dimensional, and they exist in the 3d space, then what are they?
Let's consider the number line and the point 3.7 on it. I hope you would agree that this point exists on the number line. Yet, this point has zero length. Do you see this as a contradiction?
 
Yes, I understand everything you said up to the last part. I don’t see how it is relevant though, I must be missing a connection.
 
Yes, I understand everything you said up to the last part. I don’t see how it is relevant though, I must be missing a connection.
The connection is that you think "zero thickness" 2d shapes can't exist in 3d world.
 
The probem appears to be that you are not distinguishing between geometric concepts and "the real world". NO true geometric object exists in "the real world".
 
... and the math you are reading or watching is being applied to a mathematical model of the real world, in which these shapes do exist. That's what we are always doing when we use math to solve real-world problems!
 
Yes, I realize that 2d object (models) can exist in our 3D world (ie. the surface of 3D objects, surface of walls, flat ground) as they are all technically on planes. However, unlike models of 3D objects, they can’t be picked up or interacted with. Correct?
 
A mathematical model does not exist in our physical world, and can't be picked up! But the physical objects the models represent (a piece of paper, a table, a ball) can. It's not the dimensionality, but whether it is a physical or mental object that makes the difference. No one has ever seen a (mathematical) line or plane; but we work with physical objects represented by (part of) a line or a plane all the time.
 
A mathematical model does not exist in our physical world, and can't be picked up! But the physical objects the models represent (a piece of paper, a table, a ball) can. It's not the dimensionality, but whether it is a physical or mental object that makes the difference. No one has ever seen a (mathematical) line or plane; but we work with physical objects represented by (part of) a line or a plane all the time.
I’m not sure I follow you. A wall is a model that represents a plane, but you’re saying a wall is represented by a plane. I thought that the physical objects themselves are models of the mathematical models (ie. a physical cube represents a mathematical cube, not that a mathematical cube represents a physical cube)
 
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I’m not sure I follow you. A wall is a model that represents a plane, but you’re saying a wall is represented by a plane. I thought that the physical objects themselves are models of the mathematical models (ie. a physical cube represents a mathematical cube, not that a mathematical cube represents a physical cube)
It works both (actually 4) ways. We can create a math model of physical object (use sphere as a model of a planet). Physical model of a math object (edge of a ruler is a model of a straight line). And we can create math models for math objects (simplified formula to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit) and physical models of physical objects (toy cars).
 
It works both (actually 4) ways. We can create a math model of physical object (use sphere as a model of a planet). Physical model of a math object (edge of a ruler is a model of a straight line). And we can create math models for math objects (simplified formula to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit) and physical models of physical objects (toy cars).
Ok, I understand a lot more than before this thread. Thank you all. No need to further discuss. Thanks!!!
 
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