Theoretical anything!

[Iorweth]

Yeah, liked your stuff on the Theoretical Physics, have you heard of theoretical Mathematics? I remember when I was studying for my Engineering Degree, we brushed on a topic called imaginary numbers....

Why on Earth would someone invent an imaginary number? We spent a fortnight learning about a number that cant exist, then using that number in equations to bring sums that couldnt possibly exist! I felt like I was in the Monty Pythons school of Mathematics!

You may or may not know but the imaginary number is the square root of -1, its called the 'J notation'.

Please someone tell me what is the point of learning about something that cant exist? Is it maths and science's goal in life to prove anything and everything even if they have to prove the inproveable/non existant?

[Kaber]

Umm....*shivers* Numbers are creapy as they are, this..........this is just wrong.

[MjolnirH]

the imaginary number is the square root of -1, its called the 'J notation'

ok I'm still trying to figure out how one would even image such a thing to logically theorize upon it. All numeric representations in my mind are all absoloute values, so how can you have an imagined numerical value

[Iorweth]

admin said:

the imaginary number is the square root of -1, its called the 'J notation'

ok I'm still trying to figure out how one would even image such a thing to logically theorize upon it. All numeric representations in my mind are all absoloute values, so how can you have an imagined numerical value

Exactly! You have imaginary numerical values to do imaginary sums. Numbers and sums that cant have a value for being either too small, too large or too precise for and absolute number are J notations. But, they had to work out a sum to classify a J notation and that was the square root of -1.

[MjolnirH]

whoa i've been doing some light reading LOL here

this stuff is some super deep freaky #poop#

;D

[GaratJax]

Hmm i understand the first paragraph but after that

[MjolnirH]

ummm oddly enough some small portionof the Hyperreal stuff was making some sense to me

I tried reading some of it to LWW her response:

"BELCH!!!"

[Iorweth]

#abducted#

[rincewind]

Just one of those things they teach you in school that has absolutely no application to daily life, unless your life is as a mathematician, and even then not a lot. I remember it was kindof fun when you get into imaginary numbers and calculus, but really I don't see much point in teaching people about things like this. Again, for a couple of fields it makes a difference, but honestly, a class in fixing the car so it doesn't make that godawful noise every time you turn a corner would be more handy.

[MjolnirH]

we just went over this crap in math class LOL

[Iorweth]

Bet you looked like a right geek!!!!

I could imagine the Arithmatic Teacher gloating over his 'one-up' knowledge of Imaginary numbers to then have his bubble burst by some fool in his class wearing a bi horned helmet!!!!

[MjolnirH]

not really, I still hate em, I grumbled about them more than most in the class LOL

[MjolnirH]

Gods help me I actually understand it!!! I had a little one on one with the math teacher today and I get this stuff heh but I don’t get why they call it imaginary numbers. I mean the i (j used in electronics) is an actual number. All it is is a placeholder for the continuously fluctuating number that represents the AC current. If one where to take a measurement with an oscilloscope you could just plug that number in and solve the equation but leaving the variable there just makes a complex number.

[Iorweth]

Well done mate!

The thing is you can do algebra with imaginary numbers!

WHATS THE POINT?!