complex quantity
- noun
- /ˈkɒmplɛks ˈkwɒntɪti/
- Specialized
:
número complejo
- A complex quantity consists of a real part and an imaginary part.
Examples
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The solution to the equation involves finding a complex quantity with both real and imaginary parts.
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In electrical engineering, impedance is often represented as a complex quantity.
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Each point on the Argand diagram represents a unique complex quantity.
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The mathematician explained the concept of complex quantities in detail.
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In electrical engineering, voltage can be a complex quantity that includes both magnitude and phase information.
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Each point on the Argand diagram corresponds to a specific complex quantity made up of a real part and an imaginary part.
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The formula for evaluating roots of polynomials can lead to a complex quantity as a solution.
Synonyms
1
6.3
A number with a real part and an imaginary part written as a + bi
1
7.9
A number in the form a plus b i, where i is the square root of minus one
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines familiar words 'complex' (composed/complicated) and 'quantity' (a numerical value), so a B1 learner would likely infer it denotes some kind of non-simple or composite value. However, the precise mathematical sense — a number with real and imaginary parts (a + bi) — is a technical meaning not predictable from the ordinary senses of the constituents, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
The term complex quantity comes from the idea of a number made of two joined parts. The word complex here means 'made of parts' and quantity means 'amount', so the phrase names one number with a 'real' part and an 'imaginary' part.