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Argand diagram

Argand diagram

8.9
A flat picture that shows numbers with a real and an imaginary part as points on two axes
  • noun
  • /ˈɑrɡænd ˈdaɪəɡræm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : diagrama de Argand
  • The Argand diagram is a useful tool for visualizing complex numbers in mathematics.

Examples

  • Students learned to plot both real and imaginary parts on an Argand diagram during the lesson.

  • Each point on the Argand diagram corresponds to a unique complex number.

  • The Argand diagram illustrates complex numbers effectively.

  • Can you explain the Argand diagram to me?

  • The Argand diagram helps students understand how complex numbers are represented visually.

  • Each point on the Argand diagram represents a specific complex number in a two-dimensional plane.

  • In the class, we used the Argand diagram to illustrate the relationships between real and imaginary parts.

Synonyms

complex plane
vsArgand diagram
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A flat surface for showing numbers that have a real part and an imaginary part as points

focuses on a drawing that plots numbers as points on that grid

Surface Forms

Morphology

Argand + diagram

The noun 'diagram' clearly signals a drawing or schematic, so a learner who knows that word can infer that this is some kind of diagram; however 'Argand' is a proper name (not a lexical meaning) and does not indicate that the diagram represents complex numbers or the complex plane. Because only part of the meaning (that it is a diagram) is recoverable from the constituents while the specific mathematical sense is not predictable from the name, the expression is best judged semi-transparent.

Etymology

Argand diagram comes from Jean-Robert Argand, who showed how to draw complex numbers as points on a flat plane. He used the horizontal line for the real part and the vertical line for the imaginary part, so each number becomes a dot, which is why the diagram helps to 'see' complex numbers.