Lance Birch wrote:
>
> Or, you could just use the dandy world of Complex Numbers :)
>
> By definition i = sqrt(-1)
>
Not quite, i is just *a* number whose square is -1. sqrt(-1) is
undefined since the definition of sqrt is as follows: "sqrt is the
function wich to each *positive real* number x associates the *positive*
real number y such that y*y=x". You can't define *the* square root of a
negative (or complex non real positive) number because there are two and
no good way to differentiate them (you can always design a way, but it
won't have the interesting properties with regard to addition and
multiplication that real number ordering has).
--
*******************************
* they'll tell you what can't * mailto:ber### [at] iname com
* be done and why... * http://www.enst.fr/~jberger
* Then do it. *
*******************************
Post a reply to this message
|
