6: Complex Numbers
- Page ID
- 14537
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- 6.1: Complex Numbers
- Although very powerful, the real numbers are inadequate to solve equations such as \(x^2+1=0\), and this is where complex numbers come in.
- 6.2: Polar Form
- In the previous section, we identified a complex number \(z=a+bi\) with a point \(\left( a, b\right)\) in the coordinate plane. There is another form in which we can express the same number, called the polar form.
- 6.3: Roots of Complex Numbers
- A fundamental identity is the formula of De Moivre with which we begin this section.
- 6.4: The Quadratic Formula
- When working with real numbers, we cannot solve the quadratic formula if \(b^{2}-4ac<0.\) However, complex numbers allow us to find square roots of negative numbers, and the quadratic formula remains valid for finding roots of the corresponding quadratic equation.
Thumbnail: Argument \(φ\) and modulus \(r\) locate a point in the complex plane. (CC BY-SA 3.0; Wolfkeeper via Wikipedia)