Nicole Oresme introduced the important concept of graphical representations, or geometrical "configurations", of intensities of qualities. ...He proposes to measure the intensity of the quality at each point of the reference interval by a perpendicular line segment at that point, thereby constructing a graph with the reference interval as its base. ...He refers to the reference interval as its , and its intensity at a point as its or altitude there (perhaps adapting these terms from their geographical use). ...Oresme... provided the Merton Rule with a geometrical verification.
Nicole Oresme