Chapter 15
Coordinating with Complex Numbers
IN THIS CHAPTER
Pitting real versus imaginary
Exploring the complex number system
Plotting complex numbers on a plane
Solving problems involving complex solutions
Complex numbers can be a most interesting (but frequently neglected) topic in a standard study of pre-calculus. Using complex numbers efficiently can vastly simplify a difficult problem or even allow you to solve a problem that you couldn’t solve before.
In early math experiences, you may have been told that you can’t find the square root of a negative number. If somewhere in your calculations you stumbled on an answer that required you to take the square root of a negative number, you simply threw that answer out the window. As you advanced in math, you found that you needed complex numbers to explain natural phenomena that real numbers are incapable of explaining. In fact, entire math courses are dedicated to the study of complex numbers and their applications. You won’t see that kind of depth here; however, you’ll be introduced to the basic topics and enough to allow you ...
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