Imaginary and Complex Numbers
A positive number squared or a negative number squared will always equal a positive number.
We know how to calculate the square roots of positive numbers but what about the square roots of negative numbers. How can we find their values?
So, “Does this mean that there isn’t a solution to the equation?” Although the real-number system did not contain the solution to the equation, a solution really does exist. So, another set of numbers to describe these solutions have been developed. This new set of numbers is called the imaginary numbers and the combination of these imaginary numbers with the real numbers is called the complex number system.
Find out more about imaginary and complex numbers below.
Practice: Answer the following exercises about imaginary numbers and the complex numbers.