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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. |
#stressed There is a myriad of ways to denote stress in online writing. One can bold the desired portion of text, or use italics—though the latter runs the risk of being confused with certain styles of quotation, such as the one I use in this blog. Another option is to underline the stressed text. Classically, an underline denotes a book title, but I think that style has fallen out of favor. Besides, if you do use it for that, the words generally follow an established capitalization pattern; this and other context clues should be sufficient to distinguish text underlined for stress from text underlined for a book title. There are also numerous colors that can be used to make words and/or phrases stand out. And let's not forget the potential of increasing a word or phrase's size, though it must be remembered that this can cause problems with formatting and flow. Don't overlook the impact (pun intended) of font type, either: a word in Impact will definitely stand out amidst the standard font here; Times can give your stressed bits an old-time serif look; and Comic, while sneered at by font snobs, has its uses, especially as the long-sought sarcasm font. Let's not forget the trick of making certain portions of text *stand out* using only ~keyboard~ strokes, or even ![]() ![]() Nor should Capital Letters be used for stress. I use them sometimes to indicate Important Ideas, but I'm probably wrong to do so; it's a kind of stylistic signature for me. Also, the technique of typing in ALL CAPS is frowned upon except in rare circumstances, and definitely not to be used exclusively because then it makes you look like you're writing your manifesto. To *really* make your desired text stand out, you can use almost any combination of these techniques. The possibilities are... well, not limitless, but numerous, and a better mathematician than I am could probably enumerate them more precisely. But as I said up there at the beginning, "there is a myriad of ways to denote stress;" the word 'myriad' comes from a Greek word meaning ten thousand, and ten thousand is a pretty large number, more combinations than you probably truly need. It's a good number, so we'll go with that for now. The stress on 'myriad,' incidentally, falls on the first syllable. |