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Imaginary Number Patterns Explained

Imaginary numbers represent the square root of negative numbers. The imaginary number i equals the square root of negative one. Powers of i follow a repeating pattern, with i raised to even powers resulting in real numbers (1 or -1) and odd powers resulting in i or -i. Complex numbers combine real and imaginary numbers using the form a + bi, where a is the real component and bi is the imaginary component. Complex numbers can be added or subtracted by treating i as a variable in the same way real numbers with variables are added or subtracted.

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109 views3 pages

Imaginary Number Patterns Explained

Imaginary numbers represent the square root of negative numbers. The imaginary number i equals the square root of negative one. Powers of i follow a repeating pattern, with i raised to even powers resulting in real numbers (1 or -1) and odd powers resulting in i or -i. Complex numbers combine real and imaginary numbers using the form a + bi, where a is the real component and bi is the imaginary component. Complex numbers can be added or subtracted by treating i as a variable in the same way real numbers with variables are added or subtracted.

Uploaded by

civ4guy
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Imaginary Numbers

Imaginary Numbers
Imaginary numbers are numbers that represent the square root of negative numbers.
“i” means the square root of negative one.

𝒊 = √−𝟏
Powers of i
Remember that any square root that is squared will be the number inside the square
root:

√64 ∗ √64 = 8 ∗ 8 = 64

√16 ∗ √16 = 16
So if we take the square of i, we will get the number inside the square root: -1.

𝒊𝟐 = √−𝟏 ∗ √−𝟏 = −𝟏
If we raise i to the 3rd power, it will give us i multiplied by -1, which will result in -i.

𝒊𝟑 = √−𝟏 ∗ √−𝟏 ∗ √−𝟏 = −𝟏 ∗ 𝒊 = −𝒊


And finally, if we raise i to the 4th power, it will give us -1 * -1, which is 1.

𝒊𝟒 = √−𝟏 ∗ √−𝟏 ∗ √−𝟏 ∗ √−𝟏 = −𝟏 ∗ −𝟏 = 𝟏

This pattern loops above i4 over and over.


𝑖=𝑖 𝑖9 = 𝑖
𝑖 2 = −1 𝑖 10 = −1
𝑖 3 = −𝑖 𝑖 11 = −𝑖
𝑖4 = 1 𝑖 12 = 1
𝑖5 = 𝑖 𝑖 13 = 𝑖
𝑖 6 = −1 𝑖 14 = −1
𝑖 7 = −𝑖 𝑖 15 = −𝑖
𝑖8 = 1 𝑖 16 = 1
So how do we turn higher powers of i into smaller powers?
We divide the power of i by 4. The remainder will tell us what we can simplify i
into (what we can turn i into.)
Using remainders:
𝑖 23 → 23 ÷ 4 = 5 𝑟 3 → 𝑖 3 = −𝑖
𝑖 18 → 18 ÷ 4 = 4 𝑟 2 → 𝑖 2 = −1
Using a calculator: (find how many “quarters” are left)
23
𝑖 23 → = 5.75 → 𝑖 3 = −𝑖
4
18
𝑖 18 → = 4.50 → 𝑖 2 = −1
4

Complex Numbers
When we combine a Real Number and an Imaginary Number we get a Complex
Number:
a + b*i
Examples

1+𝑖 𝜋 + 10𝑖 6 + 12𝑖 3 + 24𝑖 10 + 𝑖 5.4 + 7.6𝑖 √10 + 20𝑖

When adding and subtracting complex numbers, they can be treated like x.
Just as:
(12 + 10x) + (6 + 9x) = 18 + 19x
i also:
(12 + 10𝑖) + (6 + 9𝑖) = 18 + 19𝑖

Just as:
(−9 + 10𝑥) + (6 − 7𝑥) → −9 + 6 + 10𝑥 − 7𝑥 = −3 + 3𝑥
i also:
(−9 + 10𝑖) + (6 − 7𝑖) → −9 + 6 + 10𝑖 − 7𝑖 = −3 + 3𝑖
Complex numbers can be graphed on their own line:

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