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Math Skills Overview Guide

Imaginary Numbers

What does it mean?

Definitions:

The standard form of a complex number is a+bi where a and b are real numbers and they can be anything, positive, negative, zero, integers, fractions or decimals.

In the standard form a is called the real part of the complex number and b is called the imaginary part of the complex number and where i2=1 and i=1

 What does it look like?

A general example to help you recognize patterns and spot the information you're looking for

(2+i)(3+i)=5+5i 6+2i+3i+i2=5+5i 6+5i+i2=5+5i

You'll use it...

We use them when we want to explore matrices.

  Video

Complex Numbers

Watch a Khan Academy Video »
Length: 4:44

  Video

Introduction to i and Imaginary Numbers

Watch a Khan Academy Video »
Length: 5:20

  Video

Calculating i Raised to Arbitrary Exponents

Watch a Khan Academy Video »
Length: 6:21

Practice Problems