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complex-numbers concept docs (#3554)
* complex-numbers concept docs * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * fixed several links * some relatively small fixes, mainly typos and formatting * Moved sections around, in the search for a clearer flow of ideas. * added bit on `complex(string)` constructor. * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Update concepts/complex-numbers/about.md Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com> * Edited About to serve as Introduction * Titled Introduction as Introduction --------- Co-authored-by: BethanyG <BethanyG@users.noreply.github.com>
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{ | ||
"blurb": "TODO: add blurb for this concept", | ||
"authors": ["bethanyg", "cmccandless"], | ||
"blurb": "Complex numbers are a fundamental data type in Python, along with int and float. Further support is added with the cmath module, which is part of the Python standard library.", | ||
"authors": ["BethanyG", "colinleach"], | ||
"contributors": [] | ||
} |
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#TODO: Add about for this concept. | ||
# About | ||
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`Complex numbers` are not complicated. | ||
They just need a less alarming name. | ||
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They are so useful, especially in engineering and science, that Python includes [`complex`][complex] as a standard numeric type alongside integers ([`int`s][ints]) and floating-point numbers ([`float`s][floats]). | ||
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## Basics | ||
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A `complex` value in Python is essentially a pair of floating-point numbers. | ||
These are called the "real" and "imaginary" parts, for unfortunate historical reasons. | ||
Again, it is best to focus on the underlying simplicity and not the strange names. | ||
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There are two common ways to create complex numbers. | ||
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1) The [`complex(real, imag)`][complex] constructor takes two `float` parameters: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> z1 = complex(1.5, 2.0) | ||
>>> z1 | ||
(1.5+2j) | ||
``` | ||
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The constructor can also parse string input. | ||
This has the odd limitation that it fails if the string contains spaces. | ||
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```python | ||
>>> complex('4+2j') | ||
(4+2j) | ||
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>>> complex('4 + 2j') | ||
Traceback (most recent call last): | ||
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> | ||
ValueError: complex() arg is a malformed string | ||
``` | ||
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2) The complex number can be specified as `<real part> + <complex part>j` literal, or just `<complex part>j` if the real part is zero: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> z2 = 2.0 + 1.5j | ||
>>> z2 | ||
(2+1.5j) | ||
``` | ||
The end result is identical to using the `complex()` constructor. | ||
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There are two rules for that imaginary part of the complex number: | ||
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- It is designated with `j` (not `i` as you may see in math textbooks). | ||
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- The `j` must immediately follow a number, to prevent Python seeing it as a variable name. If necessary, use `1j`. | ||
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```python | ||
>>> j | ||
Traceback (most recent call last): | ||
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> | ||
NameError: name 'j' is not defined | ||
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>>> 1j | ||
1j | ||
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>>> type(1j) | ||
<class 'complex'> | ||
``` | ||
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Most engineers are happy with `j`. | ||
Most scientists and mathematicians prefer the mathematical notation `i` for _imaginary_, but that notation conflicts with the use of `i` to mean _current_ in Electrical Engineering. | ||
So in designing Python, the Electrical Engineers won. | ||
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To access the parts of a complex number individually: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> z2.real | ||
2.0 | ||
>>> z2.imag | ||
1.5 | ||
``` | ||
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Either part can be zero and mathematicians may then talk of the number being "wholly real" or "wholly imaginary". | ||
However, it is still a complex number in Python: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> complex(0, 1) | ||
1j | ||
>>> type(complex(0, 1)) | ||
<class 'complex'> | ||
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>>> complex(1, 0) | ||
(1+0j) | ||
``` | ||
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You may have heard that "`i` (or `j`) is the square root of -1". | ||
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For now, all this means is that the imaginary part _by definition_ satisfies the equality | ||
```python | ||
1j * 1j == -1 # => True | ||
``` | ||
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This is a simple idea, but it leads to interesting consequences. | ||
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## Arithmetic | ||
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Most of the [`operators`][operators] used with floats and ints also work with complex numbers: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> z1 = (1.5+2j) | ||
>>> z2 = (2+1.5j) | ||
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>>> z1 + z2 # addition | ||
(3.5+3.5j) | ||
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>>> z1 - z2 # subtraction | ||
(-0.5+0.5j) | ||
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>>> z1 * z2 # multiplication | ||
6.25j | ||
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>>> z1 / z2 # division | ||
(0.96+0.28j) | ||
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>>> z1 ** 2 # exponentiation | ||
(-1.75+6j) | ||
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>>> 2 ** z1 # another exponentiation | ||
(0.5188946835878313+2.7804223253571183j) | ||
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>>> 1j ** 2 # j * j == -1 | ||
(-1+0j) | ||
``` | ||
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Explaining the rules for complex number multiplication and division is out of scope for this concept (_and you are unlikely to have to perform those operations "by hand" very often_). | ||
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Any [mathematical][math-complex] or [electrical engineering][engineering-complex] introduction to complex numbers will cover this, should you want to dig into the topic. | ||
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Alternatively, Exercism has a `Complex Numbers` practice exercise where you can implement a complex number class with these operations from first principles. | ||
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Integer division is ___not___ possible on complex numbers, so the `//` and `%` operators and `divmod()` functions will fail for the complex number type. | ||
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There are two functions implemented for numeric types that are very useful when working with complex numbers: | ||
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- `<complex number>.conjugate()` simply flips the sign of the imaginary part of a complex number (_from + to - or vice-versa_). | ||
- Because of the way complex multiplication works, this is more useful than you might think. | ||
- `abs(<complex number>)` is guaranteed to return a real number with no imaginary part. | ||
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```python | ||
>>> z1 | ||
(1.5+2j) | ||
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>>> z1.conjugate() # flip the z1.imag sign | ||
(1.5-2j) | ||
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>>> abs(z1) # sqrt(z1.real ** 2 + z1.imag ** 2) | ||
2.5 | ||
``` | ||
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## The `cmath` module | ||
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The Python standard library has a [`math`][math-module] module full of useful functionality for working with real numbers. | ||
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It also has an equivalent [`cmath`][cmath] module for working with complex numbers. | ||
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We encourage you to read through the module and experiment, but the main categories are: | ||
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- Conversion between Cartesian and polar coordinates, | ||
- Exponential and log functions, | ||
- Trigonometric functions, | ||
- Hyperbolic functions, | ||
- Classification functions, and | ||
- Useful constants. | ||
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Here is an example using some constants: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> import cmath | ||
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>>> euler = cmath.exp(1j * cmath.pi) # Euler's equation | ||
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>>> euler.real | ||
-1.0 | ||
>>> round(euler.imag, 15) # round to 15 decimal places | ||
0.0 | ||
``` | ||
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So a simple expression with three of the most important constants in nature `e`, `i` (or `j`) and `pi` gives the result `-1`. | ||
Some people believe this is the most beautiful result in all of mathematics. | ||
It dates back to around 1740. | ||
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----- | ||
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## Optional section: a Complex Numbers FAQ | ||
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This part can be skipped, unless you are interested. | ||
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### Isn't this some strange new piece of pure mathematics? | ||
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It was strange and new in the 16th century. | ||
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500 years later, it is central to most of engineering and the physical sciences. | ||
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### Why would anyone use these? | ||
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It turns out that complex numbers are the simplest way to describe anything that rotates or anything with a wave-like property. | ||
So they are used widely in electrical engineering, audio processing, physics, computer gaming, and navigation - to name only a few applications. | ||
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You can see things rotate. | ||
Complex numbers may not make the world go round, but they are great for explaining _what happens_ as a result of the world going round: look at any satellite image of a major storm. | ||
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Less obviously, sound is wave-like, light is wave-like, radio signals are wave-like, and even the economy of your home country is at least partly wave-like. | ||
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A lot of this wave processing can be done with trig functions (`sin()` and `cos()`) but that gets messy quite quickly. | ||
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Complex exponentials are ___much___ easier to work with. | ||
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### But I don't need complex numbers! | ||
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Only true if you are living in a cave and foraging for your food. | ||
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If you are reading this on any sort of screen, you are utterly dependent on some useful 20th-Century advances made through the use of complex numbers. | ||
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1. __Semiconductor chips__. | ||
- These make no sense in classical physics and can only be explained (and designed) by quantum mechanics (QM). | ||
- In QM, everything is complex-valued by definition. (_its waveforms all the way down_) | ||
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2. __The Fast Fourier Transform algorithm__. | ||
- FFT is an application of complex numbers, and it is in _everything_ connected to sound transmission, audio processing, photos, and video. | ||
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-MP3 and other audio formats use FFT for compression, ensuring more audio can fit within a smaller storage space. | ||
- JPEG compression and MP4 video, among many other image and video formats also use FTT for compression. | ||
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- FFT is also deployed in the digital filters that allow cellphone towers to separate your personal cell signal from everyone else's. | ||
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So, you are probably using technology that relies on complex number calculations thousands of times per second. | ||
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[complex]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#complex | ||
[cmath]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/cmath.html | ||
[operators]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-complex | ||
[math-module]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/math.html | ||
[math-complex]: https://www.nagwa.com/en/videos/143121736364/ | ||
[engineering-complex]: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/electrical-engineering/ee-circuit-analysis-topic/ee-ac-analysis/v/ee-complex-numbers | ||
[ints]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int | ||
[floats]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#float | ||
|
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#TODO: Add introduction for this concept. | ||
# Introduction | ||
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`Complex numbers` are not complicated. | ||
They just need a less alarming name. | ||
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They are so useful, especially in engineering and science (_everything from JPEG compression to quantum mechanics_), that Python includes [`complex`][complex] as a standard numeric type alongside integers ([`int`s][ints]) and floating-point numbers ([`float`s][floats]). | ||
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A `complex` value in Python is essentially a pair of floating-point numbers: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> my_complex = 5.443+6.77j | ||
(5.443+6.77j) | ||
``` | ||
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These are called the "real" and "imaginary" parts. | ||
You may have heard that "`i` (or `j`) is the square root of -1". | ||
For now, all this means is that the imaginary part _by definition_ satisfies the equality `1j * 1j == -1`. | ||
This is a simple idea, but it leads to interesting mathematical consequences. | ||
|
||
In Python, the "imaginary" part is designated with `j` (_not `i` as you would see in math textbooks_), and | ||
the `j` must immediately follow a number, to prevent Python seeing it as a variable name: | ||
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|
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```python | ||
>>> j | ||
Traceback (most recent call last): | ||
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> | ||
NameError: name 'j' is not defined | ||
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>>> 1j | ||
1j | ||
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>>> type(1j) | ||
<class 'complex'> | ||
``` | ||
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There are two common ways to create complex numbers. | ||
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1) The [`complex(real, imag)`][complex] constructor takes two `float` parameters: | ||
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```python | ||
>>> z1 = complex(1.5, 2.0) | ||
>>> z1 | ||
(1.5+2j) | ||
``` | ||
|
||
The constructor can also parse string input. | ||
This has the odd limitation that it fails if the string contains spaces. | ||
|
||
```python | ||
>>> complex('4+2j') | ||
(4+2j) | ||
|
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>>> complex('4 + 2j') | ||
Traceback (most recent call last): | ||
File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module> | ||
ValueError: complex() arg is a malformed string | ||
``` | ||
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2) The complex number can be specified as `<real part> + <complex part>j` literal, or just `<complex part>j` if the real part is zero: | ||
|
||
|
||
```python | ||
>>> z2 = 2.0 + 1.5j | ||
>>> z2 | ||
(2+1.5j) | ||
``` | ||
The end result is identical to using the `complex()` constructor. | ||
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||
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## Arithmetic | ||
|
||
Most of the [`operators`][operators] used with floats and ints also work with complex numbers. | ||
|
||
Integer division is _**not**_ possible on complex numbers, so the `//` and `%` operators and `divmod()` functions will fail for the complex number type. | ||
|
||
Explaining the rules for complex number multiplication and division is out of scope for this concept (_and you are unlikely to have to perform those operations "by hand" very often_). | ||
|
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Any [mathematical][math-complex] or [electrical engineering][engineering-complex] introduction to complex numbers will cover these scenarios, should you want to dig into the topic. | ||
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The Python standard library has a [`math`][math-module] module full of useful functionality for working with real numbers and the [`cmath`][cmath] module is its equivalent for working with complex numbers. | ||
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[cmath]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/cmath.html | ||
[complex]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#complex | ||
[engineering-complex]: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/electrical-engineering/ee-circuit-analysis-topic/ee-ac-analysis/v/ee-complex-numbers | ||
[floats]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#float | ||
[ints]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int | ||
[math-complex]: https://www.nagwa.com/en/videos/143121736364/ | ||
[math-module]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/math.html | ||
[operators]: https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-complex |
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[ | ||
{ | ||
"url": "http://example.com/", | ||
"description": "TODO: add new link (above) and write a short description here of the resource." | ||
"url": "https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-complex/", | ||
"description": "Operations on numeric types." | ||
}, | ||
{ | ||
"url": "http://example.com/", | ||
"description": "TODO: add new link (above) and write a short description here of the resource." | ||
"url": "https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#complex/", | ||
"description": "The complex class." | ||
}, | ||
{ | ||
"url": "http://example.com/", | ||
"description": "TODO: add new link (above) and write a short description here of the resource." | ||
"url": "https://docs.python.org/3/library/cmath.html/", | ||
"description": "Module documentation for cmath." | ||
}, | ||
{ | ||
"url": "http://example.com/", | ||
"description": "TODO: add new link (above) and write a short description here of the resource." | ||
"url": "https://docs.python.org/3/library/math.html/", | ||
"description": "Module documentation for math." | ||
} | ||
] |