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Not for the faint of art. |
Complex Numbers A complex number is expressed in the standard form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is defined by i^2 = -1 (that is, i is the square root of -1). For example, 3 + 2i is a complex number. The bi term is often referred to as an imaginary number (though this may be misleading, as it is no more "imaginary" than the symbolic abstractions we know as the "real" numbers). Thus, every complex number has a real part, a, and an imaginary part, bi. Complex numbers are often represented on a graph known as the "complex plane," where the horizontal axis represents the infinity of real numbers, and the vertical axis represents the infinity of imaginary numbers. Thus, each complex number has a unique representation on the complex plane: some closer to real; others, more imaginary. If a = b, the number is equal parts real and imaginary. Very simple transformations applied to numbers in the complex plane can lead to fractal structures of enormous intricacy and astonishing beauty. |
I won't be around much today because I got a flight out of here. Or actually three flights, because airlines gotta have you hanging around airports buying the expensive crap there for as long as possible. 13 hours of planes and terminals is way worse than 13 hours of driving, but at least I might get to close my eyes a bit on the flights. Anyway, yesterday I managed to pack up the remaining bunch of crap from my car and get it sent home. Probably cheaper, and definitely more convenient, than paying airlines' exorbitant baggage fees. Not as fast, but it's not like I'll be needing those jumper cables anytime soon. And behold, the small town where I got stuck had... a brewery! I got to sample a few beers I wouldn't have otherwise, thus verifying once again that every silver lining has a cloud. Or something like that. |