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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. |
It's the last Fun Fact Friday of January! Here’s a straightforward prompt to celebrate: Make a list of at least ten random facts about yourself. Well, they're not really random if they're just what I can come up with off the top of my skull in a brief period of time, but... 1) There exist three states in the US that I haven't been to: Nebraska, Michigan, and Alaska. 2) I never went to first grade. 3) Once, I spent $340 on a car and installed a $700 sound system in it. 4) I've never seen the movie Titanic. 5) The Toronto Zoo used to have a monorail. I was there the day it failed, 25 years ago this July, and witnessed the train's final malfunction. 6) I've eaten at biker dive bars in Montana and dined at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston. 7) I have never subscribed to cable TV. 8) I've never fathered a child. This was by choice. 9) The first time I drove across the country, I went all the way: from the easternmost point of the contiguous US to the westernmost point. 10) I've seen an active volcano up close (on Montserrat). Really, I'm not sure what any of this means, if indeed it means anything at all. There are probably more things I could come up with, but it's best to maintain some mystery. |