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What are imaginary numbers?

Updated: 4/27/2022
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In mathematics, an imaginary number is a number whose square is a negative real number and written in the form bi where i is the imaginary number √(-1) and b is real.

A complex number is a number with both real and imaginary numbers, such as (3+2i), where 3 is real and 2i is imaginary.

Imaginary numbers were 'invented' by Gerolamo Cardano in the 1500's while solving cubic and quartic equations although it is said he did not understand their properties, and they were not properly defined until 1572 by Rafael Bombelli, although he did not name them imaginary numbers.

The name came from Descartes in his book "La Geometrie" where it was meant to be derogatory and sarcastic, as the number √(-1) was thought not to exist by many mathematicians. It was not until the work of Euler in analysis that the imaginary number i was properly understood and widely acknowledged as being a proper number

Another Answer

Mathematicians call the horizontal and vertical axes of a graph, the 'real' and 'imaginary' axes. Numbers lying along the real (horizontal) axis are called 'real numbers', and numbers lying along the imaginary (vertical) axis are called 'imaginary numbers'.

(see first discussion page entry)

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Related questions

Are imaginary numbers irrational numbers?

No. Irrational numbers are real numbers, therefore it is not imaginary.


Which of these sets of numbers is not a subset of the real numbers irrational integer rational and imaginary?

Imaginary numbers are not a subset of the real numbers; imaginary means not real.


Can a complex number be imaginary?

Yes, imaginary numbers are a subset of complex numbers.


What is the difference between imaginary numbers and complex numbers?

No difference. The set of complex numbers includes the set of imaginary numbers.


Is the imaginary unit 8i irrational?

No, it is imaginary. Irrational numbers are a subset of real numbers Real numbers and imaginary numbers are sets without any overlap.


What are imagery numbers?

imaginary numbers are numbers that are a negative square root, which is not possoble therefor it is called and imaginary number. ex the square root of -24 is an imaginary number


Which number belongs to the set of imaginary numbers 2?

2 does belong to the set of imaginary numbers. Any real number is also imaginary. Imaginary numbers are the set of all numbers that can be expressed as a +b*i where "i" is the square root of negative one and "a" and "b" are both real numbers.


The symbol for imaginary numbers is?

An imaginary number is symbolized by the letter i


What type of problems have imaginary numbers?

Imaginary numbers are only ever used when you are using the square roots of negative numbers. The square root of -1 is i. You may find imaginary numbers when you are finding roots of equations.


What are known numbers?

non-imaginary numbers


What is complex math?

Complex math covers how to do operations on complex numbers. Complex numbers include real numbers, imaginary numbers, and the combination of real+imaginary numbers.


What are imagery?

imaginary numbers are numbers that are a negative square root, which is not possoble therefor it is called and imaginary number. ex the square root of -24 is an imaginary number