What Are Imaginary Numbers?

Original Article Link:https://www.livescience.com/42748-imaginary-numbers.html

An imaginary number is a number that, when squared, has a negative result. Essentially, an imaginary number is the square root of a negative number and does not have a tangible value. While it is not a real number — that is, it cannot be quantified on the number line — imaginary numbers are "real" in the sense that they exist and are used in math.

Imaginary numbers, also called complex numbers, are used in real-life applications, such as electricity, as well as quadratic equations. In quadratic planes, imaginary numbers show up in equations that don’t touch the x axis. Imaginary numbers become particularly useful in advanced calculus.

Usually denoted by the symbol i, imaginary numbers are denoted by the symbol j in electronics (because i already denotes "current"). Imaginary numbers are particularly applicable in electricity, specifically alternating current (AC) electronics. AC electricity changes between positive and negative in a sine wave. Combining AC currents can be very difficult because they may not match properly on the waves. Using imaginary currents and real numbers helps those working with AC electricity do the calculations and avoid electrocution.