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Complex Numbers
Complex Numbers
A complex number is expressed in the standard form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is defined by i^2 = -1 (that is, i is the square root of -1). For example, 3 + 2i is a complex number.
The bi term is often referred to as an imaginary number (though this may be misleading, as it is no more "imaginary" than the symbolic abstractions we know as the "real" numbers). Thus, every complex number has a real part, a, and an imaginary part, bi.
Complex numbers are often represented on a graph known as the "complex plane," where the horizontal axis represents the infinity of real numbers, and the vertical axis represents the infinity of imaginary numbers. Thus, each complex number has a unique representation on the complex plane: some closer to real; others, more imaginary. If a = b, the number is equal parts real and imaginary.
Very simple transformations applied to numbers in the complex plane can lead to fractal structures of enormous intricacy and astonishing beauty.
February 1, 2011 at 10:03pm February 1, 2011 at 10:03pm
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Came back yesterday but didn't feel much like blogging.
I'm reminded why New York City is a good place to visit, but not to live: there was two feet of snow on the ground, and that's not in the places where plows piled it up, usually on top of people's cars. Oh, it's fine in the summer, but NYC winters are freaking miserable.
And they're going to get more snow from all the global warming
I write this in jest - as average global temperatures rise, local conditions are expected to be more extreme in both directions |
headed their way now.
There was a path about 3' wide to the gravesite, and no room to stand around it. I couldn't even see my mom's headstone from all the snow, and of course my aunt's headstone wasn't there yet.
And naturally, dealing with my family was stressful. I know some people just take that sort of thing in stride as expected, but I'm on a mission to reduce stress in my life - which means there are certain family members I deal with as little as possible. Which, in retrospect, adds to the stress, because they end up sending me on guilt trips for not doing family shit. Hell, my aunt guilt-tripped me from beyond the grave. I'd like to say I'll miss her guilt trips, but I won't. I'll miss everything else, though.
My cousin, however, is cool, and so is his wife. I stayed with them in Manhattan.
So Sunday night, after the funeral, feeling stressed and crappy, I went in search of a Bar. It being Manhattan, it didn't take me long to find one. I felt better after a couple of beers, which either says something about me or about beer.
Looks like the Snowmaggedon storm is going to miss us here in Virginia, anyway, so there's that. |
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