Algebra › Section H · Roots and radicals › Topic H.8

The complex number system

When even roots of negatives run into a wall, mathematics does what it has always done — builds a bigger number system. Adding one new number, the imaginary unit, opens a world where every quadratic has solutions.

In this topic

  • Extending the number line, again
  • The imaginary unit
  • Complex numbers: the form a + bi
  • Adding and subtracting complex numbers
  • Worked example: multiplying complex numbers
  • Conjugates: the radical-killer returns
  • Powers of i run on a four-cycle
  • Worked example: a quadratic with complex roots
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • Key takeaways

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