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For an imaginary number R*i, where R is a real number. It helps to know about complex numbers, and how they can be rewritten using polar coordinates.

A complex number can be considered a vector in the real-imaginary plane, starting at the origin, and ending at the coordinates of the complex number.

For a complex number a + bi, the magnitude of this vector is sqrt(a2 + b2) and the angle that it makes in a counterclockwise direction from the real axis is tan-1(b/a). The number then can be written (using Euler's Identity) as Magnitude*e(i*angle), with i being the imaginary number: sqrt(-1).

So if you want to take the fourth root of a number, then this is the same as raising it to the (1/4) power, so you'd take the (1/4) power of the real magnitude, then multiply by e(i*angle/4). Note that angles are in radians in this relationship, but for simplicity, I'll use degrees.

So in this real-imaginary plane, pure imaginary numbers lie on the vertical axis (angle = 90° for positive imaginary or 270° for negative imaginary). So for 'positive' imaginaries, just divide 90° by 4 = 22.5°.

But we want 4 roots, so note that once we go 360°, then we are at the same place as 0°, so if we add or subtract 360° to an angle, we get an angle pointing in the same direction.

  • 90° + 360° = 450°; 450° / 4 = 112.5°
  • 450° + 360° = 810°; 810° / 4 = 202.5°
  • 810° + 360° = 1170°; 1170° / 4 = 292.5°

The corresponding radians are: 22.5° = pi/8; 112.5° = 5*pi/8; 202.5° = 9*pi/8; and 292.5° = 13*pi/8.

If you want the complex number root back in the format a + b*i, a = magnitude* cos(angle), and b = magnitude* sin(angle)

You can find all of the roots for any order root (square, cube, etc) by using this same method. It works for real numbers, too. Just take angle = 0°, 360°, etc. for positive numbers, and angle = 180°, 540°, etc. for negative numbers. Example square root of 1: 0° / 2 = 0° (positive 1), 360° / 2 = 180° (negative 1)

See the PDF in the related links: Using the Shannon Sampling Theorem to Design Compact Discs - page 2 for a brief explanation on Euler's Identity and how it was derived. There are many other references available.

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Q: What are the fourth roots of an imaginary number?
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