Super radio discussion about the history of negative numbers:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/netwo...dio4/inourtime

Andre Jute

In article .com,
Andre Jute wrote:
Super radio discussion about the history of negative numbers:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/netwo...dio4/inourtime

It was good, wasn't it? Progs like this make R4 worth the entire TV
licence. ;-)

--
*I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

When it gets into " i ", things get really interesting.

I was once greatly surprised running into a lecture on i once, from
none-other than a purchasing agent for a box-maker... pre-computer. He
showed me his equations for getting the maximum use of a given width
and length of corrugated cardboard (roll) sheeting... each one included
i. This guy was a high-school drop-out, but he used 'imaginary numbers'
every day.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

On 10 Mar 2006 07:23:35 -0800, " wrote:

When it gets into " i ", things get really interesting.

I was once greatly surprised running into a lecture on i once, from
none-other than a purchasing agent for a box-maker... pre-computer. He
showed me his equations for getting the maximum use of a given width
and length of corrugated cardboard (roll) sheeting... each one included
i. This guy was a high-school drop-out, but he used 'imaginary numbers'
every day.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

What is this "i" thing? I know all about "j".

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

" i " is the square root of -1.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

On 10 Mar 2006 07:32:55 -0800, " wrote:

" i " is the square root of -1.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

No, "j" is the square root of -1. "i" must be something else
entirely...

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/58251.html

Wrong side of the pond thing, you Brits? Or is it that you need to be
ahead of us Colonials... and go all the way to j?

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On 10 Mar 2006 07:32:55 -0800, " wrote:

" i " is the square root of -1.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

No, "j" is the square root of -1. "i" must be something else
entirely...

d

Pearce Consulting
http://www.pearce.uk.com

i *is* the square root of -1, so is j and so is k.

S.

Hi,

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On 10 Mar 2006 07:23:35 -0800, " wrote:

What is this "i" thing? I know all about "j".

My exam board (way back when there were 'O' levels)
had some problems with this - people who took 'A'
levels in both maths (where it was 'i') and physics (where
it was 'j') often got them mixed up, and lost marks. There
was a minor rebellion, and in the end the mathematicians
lost. The square root of -1 was termed "j" from then on.

It's probably a moot point now - the last Physics A level
paper I looked at required no knowledge of either. a.c.
electricity is now the domain of Universities, it would seem.

Regards,

Glenn.

Hi,

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On 10 Mar 2006 07:32:55 -0800, " wrote:

" i " is the square root of -1.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

No, "j" is the square root of -1. "i" must be something else
entirely...

Indeed. "i" is measured in amperes, and the square
root of -1 isn't.

Regards,

Glenn.