Questions tagged [complex-numbers]

Questions involving complex numbers, that is numbers of the form $a+bi$ where $i^2=-1$ and $a,b\in\mathbb{R}$.

A complex number is a number in the form $z=a + bi$, where $a$ and $b$ are real numbers and $i$ is the imaginary unit, or alternatively, $z=r\cdot e^{i\theta}$, with $r$ called the magnitude and $\theta$ called the argument.

The complex conjugate, $\overline z$, is $a-bi$ or $r\cdot e^{-i\theta}$.

Read more about complex numbers and their properties here.

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Why is $1 - \frac{1}{1 - \frac{1}{1 - \ldots}}$ not real?

So we all know that the continued fraction containing all $1$s... $$ x = 1 + \frac{1}{1 + \frac{1}{1 + \ldots}} $$ yields the golden ratio $x = \phi$, which can easily be proven by rewriting it as $x = 1 + \dfrac{1}{x}$, solving the resulting…
Martin Ender
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Do complex numbers really exist?

Complex numbers involve the square root of negative one, and most non-mathematicians find it hard to accept that such a number is meaningful. In contrast, they feel that real numbers have an obvious and intuitive meaning. What's the best way to…
Neil Mayhew
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What are imaginary numbers?

At school, I really struggled to understand the concept of imaginary numbers. My teacher told us that an imaginary number is a number that has something to do with the square root of $-1$. When I tried to calculate the square root of $-1$ on my…
Sachin Kainth
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Why $\sqrt{-1 \cdot {-1}} \neq \sqrt{-1}^2$?

I know there must be something unmathematical in the following but I don't know where it is: \begin{align} \sqrt{-1} &= i \\\\\ \frac1{\sqrt{-1}} &= \frac1i \\\\ \frac{\sqrt1}{\sqrt{-1}} &= \frac1i \\\\ \sqrt{\frac1{-1}} &= \frac1i \\\\…
Wilhelm
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How to prove Euler's formula: $e^{i\varphi}=\cos(\varphi) +i\sin(\varphi)$?

Could you provide a proof of Euler's formula: $e^{i\varphi}=\cos(\varphi) +i\sin(\varphi)$?
Jichao
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Why are There No "Triernions" (3-dimensional analogue of complex numbers / quaternions)?

Since there are complex numbers (2 dimensions) and quaternions (4 dimensions), it follows intuitively that there ought to be something in between for 3 dimensions ("triernions"). Yet no one uses these. Why is this?
thecat
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Is there a domain "larger" than (i.e., a supserset of) the complex number domain?

I've been teaching my 10yo son some (for me, anyway) pretty advanced mathematics recently and he stumped me with a question. The background is this. In the domain of natural numbers, addition and multiplication always generate natural numbers,…
user1324
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How do I get the square root of a complex number?

If I'm given a complex number (say $9 + 4i$), how do I calculate its square root?
Macha
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math fallacy problem: $-1= (-1)^3 = (-1)^{6/2} = \sqrt{(-1)^6}= 1$?

I know there is something wrong with this but I don't know where. It's some kind of a math fallacy and it is driving me crazy. Here it is: $$-1= (-1)^3 = (-1)^{6/2} = \sqrt{(-1)^6}= 1?$$
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What's the difference between $\mathbb{R}^2$ and the complex plane?

I haven't taken any complex analysis course yet, but now I have this question that relates to it. Let's have a look at a very simple example. Suppose $x,y$ and $z$ are the Cartesian coordinates and we have a function $z=f(x,y)=\cos(x)+\sin(y)$.…
Cancan
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Easy example why complex numbers are cool

I am looking for an example explainable to someone only knowing high school mathematics why complex numbers are necessary. The best example would be possible to explain rigourously and also be clearly important in a daily day sense. I.e. complex…
htd
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What is $\sqrt{i}$?

If $i=\sqrt{-1}$, is $\large\sqrt{i}$ imaginary? Is it used or considered often in mathematics? How is it notated?
Gordon Gustafson
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"Where" exactly are complex numbers used "in the real world"?

I've always enjoyed solving problems in the complex numbers during my undergrad. However, I've always wondered where are they used and for what? In my domain (computer science) I've rarely seen it be used/applied and hence am curious. So what…
PhD
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Prove that $i^i$ is a real number

According to WolframAlpha, $i^i=e^{-\pi/2}$ but I don't know how I can prove it.
Isaac
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Are these solutions of $2 = x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}}$ correct?

Find $x$ in $$ \Large 2 = x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}}$$ A trick to solve this is to see that $$\large 2 = x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}} \quad\implies\quad 2 = x^{\Big(x^{x^{x^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot^{\:\cdot}}}}}\Big)} =…
GarouDan
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