What is the square root of minus 1?

**crayola** · 14-Sep-06, 01:14

What is the square root of -1?

My pal's hubby asked me to post this.

Get yer neurons and synapses going!

**canuck** · 14-Sep-06, 01:27

Originally Posted by crayola

What is the square root of -1?

My pal's hubby asked me to post this.

Get yer neurons and synapses going!

Why does your pal's hubby have any interest in the neurons and synapses of the orger brain?

**crayola** · 14-Sep-06, 01:40

He's doing research on public attitudes to learning and he thinks we are good guinea pigs. He's had too many shirazes and I'm going to send them home this minute because they both have work tomorrow. I have the morning off.

**Moira** · 14-Sep-06, 01:42

Originally Posted by crayola

What is the square root of -1?

My pal's hubby asked me to post this.

Get yer neurons and synapses going!

Nope - not really. Came on here to chill out.

Just wondering why you've not directed your "pal's hubby" in the direction of Mr Google ......?

Sorry - Edited to say - just noticed Ojibwa's post - but now I'm wondering ..... why your pal's hubby needs to know the answer anyway .....?

**Elenna** · 14-Sep-06, 02:10

Originally Posted by crayola

He's doing research on public attitudes to learning and he thinks we are good guinea pigs. He's had too many shirazes and I'm going to send them home this minute because they both have work tomorrow. I have the morning off.

I don't really understand how this shows anything about attitudes to learning. It seems more a matter of you know the answer, or don't, or perhaps are able to work it out. But I don't mind being a guinea pig, and any good diversion is welcome at the minute

.

Enjoy your morning off, Crayola. I wish I had one tomorrow.

**Lolabelle** · 14-Sep-06, 05:53

Math was never my strong point and I have absolutely no idea how to even work it out. I tried on the calculator and came up with "0" and as this is not an option on the poll, I guess I did not get it.
Never mind, hopefully you will be so kind as to tell us all how to do this calculation???? Please. I may not be much chop at this kinda thing, but once my curiousity is aroused, I want to know how and what is the answer.

**j4bberw0ck** · 14-Sep-06, 07:00

It's an old, old chestnut. I won't ruin the poll, but my maths teacher (and my father as well

), 35 years ago, used to treat this question like a sort of shiny talisman, to be kept carefully and brought out now and again for polishing. Never anything useful, of course, like what it means or what it's useful for or why it's important; I doubt either of them knew. And I have to confess I don't know either.

**porshiepoo** · 14-Sep-06, 08:40

Well I do remember something of my maths days and by my reckoning it's i.

**crayola** · 14-Sep-06, 09:19

I messed up the poll. One choice was meant to be 'it doesn't exist'. Sorry.

The attitudes to learning bit comes from responses to the question, not from the poll answers. It's to do with how people approach questions they don't know much about, He knows the answer already.

**golach** · 14-Sep-06, 09:23

Originally Posted by crayola

I messed up the poll. One choice was meant to be 'it doesn't exist'. Sorry.

The attitudes to learning bit comes from responses to the question, not from the poll answers. It's to do with how people approach questions they don't know much about, He knows the answer already.

Wow one of Crayola's spells gone wrong!!!!! Stay off the Vino Crayola

**crayola** · 14-Sep-06, 10:06

Witchcraft is a black art. Even for blonde witches.

**_Ju_** · 14-Sep-06, 13:12

I answered it but got it wrong duhhhh....... it does not exist! A square root is a number that multiplied by itself gives the original numer, I think....if memory does not fail me ( and it has tended to fail me more often now than it used to). (Example: 2x2 = 4 square root of 4 is 2; 3x3=9 square root of nine equals 3)

The only way to get a negative number in multiplication is to multiply a positive with a negative (positive x positive = positive; negative x negative = positive). So...... the two numbers you would have to multiply would be (+1) x (-1)= -1 ... they are not the same number therefore not a square root. there cannot be square roots of negative numbers then.

PS: I liked this one.

**j4bberw0ck** · 14-Sep-06, 13:25

Originally Posted by _Ju_

there cannot be square roots of negative numbers then.

Oh no!

**_Ju_** · 14-Sep-06, 13:26

LOL! I am lost for words...this is just what I was thinking...... hmmmmm..... math was a long time ago...I need to rest the few brain cells I have left.

Hm....I just cheated and used a calculator and mine says invalid input for this fuction........whatever negative number I use........ this is KILLING ME! CRAYOLA.... the answer, pretty please with icecream and strawberries

**badger** · 14-Sep-06, 13:30

Originally Posted by _Ju_

I answered it but got it wrong duhhhh....... it does not exist! A square root is a number that multiplied by itself gives the original numer, I think....if memory does not fail me ( and it has tended to fail me more often now than it used to). (Example: 2x2 = 4 square root of 4 is 2; 3x3=9 square root of nine equals 3)

The only way to get a negative number in multiplication is to multiply a positive with a negative (positive x positive = positive; negative x negative = positive). So...... the two numbers you would have to multiply would be (+1) x (-1)= -1 ... they are not the same number therefore not a square root. there cannot be square roots of negative numbers then.

PS: I liked this one.

Thought I liked maths problems but - pleeeeese. My brain is tired just thinking about this. Will have to go and lie down.

**squidge** · 14-Sep-06, 13:33

The bruce informs me that it is both i and -i and muttered about imaginary numbers and
fundamental algebraic formulae which might or might not be a bit like fundamental islamic terrorists and souls but then it might not be thats how much sense it makes for me.

I dont pretend to understand but i did make his vote for him

**_Ju_** · 14-Sep-06, 13:34

LOL... you can't have square roots of negative numbers unless they are complex IMAGINARY numbers...... now I know mathematicians are nuts! If only this would work for other things in life....like inventing imaginary cash or winning the imaginary lotto!

**j4bberw0ck** · 14-Sep-06, 13:51

That's it in a nutshell, as far as I understand it. For calculation purposes the value of (square root -1) is assigned a value i by mathematicians since it isn't a "real" number. Therefore (square root -400) = 20i ; 20 times the value of i, whatever it may be.

But my maths is pretty rudimentary so I'm going to stop there!

**porshiepoo** · 14-Sep-06, 15:24

See! I guess none of you believed me when I gave you the answer way back!

Hmmmmmm but having sat down with paper and thought about my ancient math memories I seem to now think that as all square roots of 'real' numbers have 2 numbers then the actual correct answer for this would be i or -i?????????
Why do scientists have to complicate things by introducing imaginary numbers? Can't they just stick to the real ones we all are aware of?

Come on Crayola whats the answer? Even I'm having doubts about my mathematical abilities now! LOL.