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Complex Numbers

by Robert Waltz

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #1196512

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.

http://www.ddewey.net/mandelbrot/

Signature for Honorable Mentions in 2018 Quill Awards

A signature for exclusive use of winners at the 2019 Quill Awards

Signature for those who have won a Quill Award at the 2020 Quill Awards

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

tj wanderlust-words-in-motion

26 minutes ago
In response to "Revisited: "Forgive Me, For I Have Zinned""

My oldest son, while in college, would buy it and mix it with Kool-Aid when he had friends over.

1 Like

Allan Charles 🐾

about 5 hours ago
In response to "Revisited: "Forgive Me, For I Have Zinned""

I find White Zinfandel to be disgusting. Defining it as the wine equivalent to American cheese is a great comparison.

At my job, we only sold a cheap house wine for white zin, and when people ordered it I had to try to restrain my facial muscles from giving stank face.

2 Like

tj wanderlust-words-in-motion

about 21 hours ago
In response to "Apparatus"

And then we have "cocktail" which can, if one takes the time to look it up, waste a good hour or more of time and provide various meanings and origins, including shoving ginger up a horses arse!

tj wanderlust-words-in-motion

Feb 21, 2025 at 3:02pm
In response to "Thwip"

Put it on ATVs so when they get stuck they can shoot out a web and winch themselves out.

2 Like

tj wanderlust-words-in-motion

Feb 20, 2025 at 6:10pm
In response to "One Fine Thing"

Well, it was a fine idea.

Adhere - Definitely Writing

Feb 20, 2025 at 7:48am
In response to "One Fine Thing"

I immediately thought of "Imfamy, imfamy, they've all got it imfamy." But then my mind does that.

2 Like

tj wanderlust-words-in-motion

Feb 19, 2025 at 3:59pm
In response to "Fail to Succeed"

In one way, it's good to have people with boneheaded ideas, it provides something to blog about.

1 Like

Adhere - Definitely Writing

Feb 19, 2025 at 1:36pm
In response to "Fail to Succeed"

Having drunk soda on both sides of the Atlantic, I have to say that Mountain Dew with HFCS in America tastes a lot better than the 'same' drink made with sugar here in the UK. The experience is smoother and so is the taste.

2 Like

tj wanderlust-words-in-motion

Feb 18, 2025 at 6:10pm
In response to "Tater Tales"

Instant potatoes? Yes, I enjoy them, too. We also use them for thickening up soups and stews.

1 Like

Robert Waltz

Feb 17, 2025 at 11:23pm
In response to "Linguistic"

Annette

- I appreciate the recommendations, but I canceled Netflix when the choice was to put up with ads for a lower price or pay a shitload of money. If it were free with ads, I'd manage like I did in the days of broadcast TV, but I flat-out refuse to both pay money and watch commercials, which is why I never had cable TV.

The price for the ad-free experience also went up to the point where it wasn't worth it with the amount I watched.

September 24, 2018 at 1:03am

#941935

The Best For Last

Let's do a little thought experiment.

Say you like... I dunno... M&Ms. But for some reason, you like the red ones best. So you get a bag of M&Ms. What do you do?

I know what I'd do. I'd eat the other colors first, and save the red ones for last, so I can finish with my favorites.

I was doing this one day some years ago, back when I was more social, and a friend commented "You must really hate the red M&Ms." (It wasn't actually M&Ms. I don't think their flavor changes by color. I'm just using this as an example.)

"Um... no, they're my favorite."

She looked at me like I was a space alien. Well, to be fair, I get that a lot.

Turns out she grew up with like 13 older brothers, and if she didn't grab her favorites first, they'd disappear, so she learned to take what she wanted fast.

I, in contrast, had no siblings, so I had the luxury of saving the best for last.

Now, the pessimist in me wants to say that by doing so, I'm just setting myself up for disappointment when all the variety is gone. In fact, the pessimist is the biggest part of me so of course that's where my mind goes. Or that I'd end up sharing them with my other friend who also had a lot of siblings, so he likes to mix Skittles in with the M&Ms because he's chaotic evil.

So I'm just wondering what normal humans do, or if they ever even think about this sort of thing.

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