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The imaginary unit or unit imaginary number (i) is a mathematical constant that is a solution to the quadratic equation x 2 + 1 = 0. Although there is no real number with this property, i can be used to extend the real numbers to what are called complex numbers , using addition and multiplication .
A complex number can be visually represented as a pair of numbers (a, b) forming a vector on a diagram called an Argand diagram, representing the complex plane. Re is the real axis, Im is the imaginary axis, and i is the "imaginary unit", that satisfies i 2 = −1.
An illustration of the complex plane. The imaginary numbers are on the vertical coordinate axis. Although the Greek mathematician and engineer Heron of Alexandria is noted as the first to present a calculation involving the square root of a negative number, [6] [7] it was Rafael Bombelli who first set down the rules for multiplication of complex numbers in 1572.
In mathematics, the complex plane is the plane formed by the complex numbers, with a Cartesian coordinate system such that the horizontal x-axis, called the real axis, is formed by the real numbers, and the vertical y-axis, called the imaginary axis, is formed by the imaginary numbers.
Graph of a polynomial of degree 4, with 3 critical points and four real roots (crossings of the x axis) (and thus no complex roots). If one or the other of the local minima were above the x axis, or if the local maximum were below it, or if there were no local maximum and one minimum below the x axis, there would only be two real roots (and two complex roots).
Although these roots cannot be visualized on the graph, their real and imaginary parts can be. [17] Let h and k be respectively the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate of the vertex of the parabola (that is the point with maximal or minimal y-coordinate. The quadratic function may be rewritten = +.
Geometric representation (Argand diagram) of and its conjugate ¯ in the complex plane.The complex conjugate is found by reflecting across the real axis.. In mathematics, the complex conjugate of a complex number is the number with an equal real part and an imaginary part equal in magnitude but opposite in sign.
Quadratic function graph complex roots: Image title: Visualisation of the complex roots of y = ax² + bx + c where a is positive and the discriminant, b² - 4ac is negative, by CMG Lee. The parabola is rotated 180° about its vertex (yellow). Its roots are rotated 90° around their mid-point, and the plane is interpreted as the complex plane ...