answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Imaginary numbers are a mathematical concept, first defined to handle the square root of negative numbers. At first, many mathematicians did not think very kindly of them, until Euler's formula in the 1700's, then later applications in electricity and wave analysis were recognized.

Complex numbers are numbers on a plane, for which special which special operations are defined. Complex numbers have a real part, and an imaginary part.

There are several practical applications; for example, electrical engineers use complex numbers for circuit calculations with AC. There are other applications, too; for example, in art (creating interesting patterns, called fractals - based on calculations with complex numbers). Quantum mechanics routinely uses complex numbers.

The Wikipedia article on complex numbers gives a good overview.

The Picomonster website has some cool animations which show complex and imaginary numbers 'in action', so to speak.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What are imaginary numbers and how are they used in real life situations?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

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.


What can you formulate from the real numbers?

This question is kind of vague. Many of your everyday situations use the rational numbers (fractions and integers), which are a subset of real numbers. If you do anything with angles (like surveying, or navigation) then irrational (which are still real) come into play. There are situations when it's necessary to consider complex (a combination of real and imaginary) numbers. When dealing with waves or periodic motion, imaginary numbers become an important thing to consider.


What are the Examples of real numbers in daily life?

every number is a real number....except imaginary.......and this is the amin reason for we can say that real number is real because its not imaginary....


Can a complex number be imaginary?

Yes, imaginary numbers are a subset of complex 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.


Are imaginary numbers irrational numbers?

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


What real life situations are prime numbers used?

Any situation numbers are used.


A graph of pairs of numbers that represent real-life situations It is a way to analyze the relationship between two quantities?

A coordinate graph is a graph of pairs of numbers that represent real-life situations.


What do imaginary numbers represent?

The real numbers together with the imaginary numbers form a sort of vector. What these complex numbers (complex means the combination of real and imaginary numbers) represent depends on the specific situation. Just as there are situations where it doesn't make sense to use negative numbers, or fractional numbers, in many common situations it doesn't make sense to use complex numbers. In an electrical circuit (specifically, AC), the real numbers might represent resistance, while the imaginary number represent reactance - and voltages and currents are also represented by complex numbers, with the angle of the complex number representing how much one quantity is ahead or behind another quantity (the "phase angle"). In quantum mechanics, the complex numbers might not represent anything (perhaps they don't, I am not sure...), but they are useful for calculations.


Are all imaginary numbers are real numbers?

No. None are because the opposite of a real number is an imaginary number. In real numbers there are rational, irrational, counting, whole numbers, and integers.


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.


How are irrational numbers real numbers?

They aren't imaginary.