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Complex Numbers
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.
January 30, 2020 at 12:04am January 30, 2020 at 12:04am
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PROMPT January 30
Congratulations on making it to the last day of the competition! What was your favorite prompt from the last month? Did you learn anything new about your fellow competitors? What was the most rewarding aspect of participating in the competition?
I had a better time with this than usual, this month. I don't know - maybe it was the musical selections I decided to do for a theme for the month. It wasn't always easy finding an appropriate song, in terms of lyrics, mood, and a title that would work as a blog entry (something I think I managed to do every day except for the first one). Music does tend to inspire me. Whatever the reason, I enjoyed almost every prompt. Especially amusing to me was the "naughty kid" prompt ("The Thin Ice" ) -- not only for making me remember the icy bay, but seeing the responses of others.
Which ties in with the "Did you learn anything new" question: Yes. Yes, I did.
Seriously, though, I've very much enjoyed the interaction with other bloggers - giving and receiving comments. Much thanks to all of you -- organizers, participants, everyone who stopped by, and, most especially, the lovely, talented, benevolent, fair, and incomparable judges.
I'm not going anywhere, though -- next month is February, home of the despised V-Day and my birthday, as well as crappy weather. The month has nothing else to recommend it, so I might as well keep writing in this thing.
To close out this month of musical theme tie-ins, here's a song that is not the song you think it is. But it's much better.
Yeah we're drinking and we're dancing
But there's nothing really happening
And the place is dead as heaven on a Saturday night
And my very close companion
Gets me fumbling gets me laughing
She's a hundred but she's wearing
Something tight
And I lift my glass to the awful truth
Which you can't reveal to the ears of youth
Except to say it isn't worth a dime
And the whole damn place goes crazy twice
And it's once for the devil and once for Christ
But the boss don't like these dizzy heights
We're busted in the blinding lights
Of closing time |
© Copyright 2024 Robert Waltz (UN: cathartes02 at Writing.Com). All rights reserved. Robert Waltz has granted InkSpot.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
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