complex number

noun

: a number of the form a + b √-1 where a and b are real numbers

Examples of complex number in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As a result, mathematicians often turn to the complex numbers, which can be thought of as pairs of real numbers. Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2023 In other words, the vast majority of real and complex numbers are transcendental. Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2023 Physical properties, such as the speed of a particle or its position, correspond to tables of complex numbers called operators. Marc-Olivier Renou, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023 Many complex numbers are the root of some polynomial with integer coefficients; mathematicians call these numbers algebraic. Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2023 Before the 20th century all such operations with complex numbers were simply considered a mathematical trick. Marc-Olivier Renou, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023 The complex plane is a way of graphing complex numbers, which have two parts: real and imaginary. Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 9 Mar. 2023 The most common version of quantum theory relies on complex numbers. Marc-Olivier Renou, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2023 One piece of that theory involves a generalization of the Lindelöf hypothesis, which predicts that whenever the real part of the complex number input equals , the output stays small relative to the input for all L-functions (not just the Riemann zeta function). Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 13 Jan. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'complex number.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of complex number was in 1856

Dictionary Entries Near complex number

Cite this Entry

“Complex number.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complex%20number. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

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