Plane Geometry Inspires Wave Engineering Starters [Educator’s Corner]

Plane geometry, in academia, often helps students intuitively understand something difficult to do with algebra. Graphics provide rich visual information rather than equations. This idea applies to postulates and theorems in a variety of scientific and technical fields. Although they are specially useful in understanding wave engineering, students sometimes find it difficult to first learn wave-specific concepts, such as S-parameters and voltage standing wave ratios (VSWRs). If we introduce those concepts by performing a persuasive graphical demonstration on a blackboard, students become familiar with them more smoothly than if we use only algebra. What concepts in our field, then, can we effectively translate into graphics? As an attempt to address the question, this article presents eight instructive figures signifying basic physics in wave engineering.