Imaginary numbers are... what the fuck?!

Imaginary numbers do not exist! They have no real value! They defy the laws of mathematics!!

The Square Root of -1 is not i! It has no answer!

I mean really. Here is what a normal conversation would be like with me:

You: "The Square Root of -1 is-"

Me: "Negative numbers have no square root".

You: "Yeah they do! You just have to use your imagination!"

Me: "But they don't exist."

You: "Yes. I mean no. They're imaginary. They don't have a real value. They have an imaginary value."

Me: "Imaginary means fake. Imaginary numbers are not real, they have no answer, they don't make any sense whatsoever."

You: "But all numbers have a value! All equations, like the square root of -1, have an answer."

Me: "What is 5 divided by 0?"

You: "It has no ans- but imagin- gah!"

/rant from me not knowing anything about imaginary numbers or how they are applied in mathematics, calculus, algebra, trigonometry, geometry or any other branch

Imaginary numbers have application in electrical devices. Something to do with modulation or something...

I'm about to go over that, I'd just say they shouldn't exist and people forget they imagined them. Why the hell would you need to divide anyhting by 0 anyways?

Imaginary numbers have quite a bit of value in engineering and the sciences. Chances are, though, that you personally will never actually have to use them.

Still, if that were the criteria by which we judged value, then birth control pills would be useless to guys. I'm sure we can all agree that's not the case...

They are not called as widely as you think imaginary numbers, it's called a complex number. Obviously too complex for you.

I just mess around with them on my TI-89 (bless its heart).
Otherwise, yeah, engineering and the like.

Actually they are imaginary numbers. A complex number is a number with both real and imaginary parts.

You really are just showing you don't understand them with that rant Dtewi. Just because you can't imagine the number 3+2i doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it's also impossible to visualise a negative number (ie. -3) in a physical form but they still exist. Also you don't have to use your imagination for imaginary numbers - they are a real mathematical concept. Also they are very useful in things like fluid dynamics.

dtewi, you have embarked on a quest for knowledge. This is both good and bad. I admire your youthful vigor and hunger for truth, but I must warn you. You may become blindsided with false (but true) ideas about how reality and logic work. When you say "imaginary things are fake" you turn your quest down a dark and dangerous path.

To really understand the powers of your own imagination, you must watch these:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Wait until you learn about quantum physics. I've seen so many people getting straight A's in math and science thinking it's easy to memorize formulas and plug in numbers, but once they get into solid evidence proving impossible things and disproving physics they stop to ask "Why?" and start failing.

Imaginary numbers have many important uses. Just like imaginary friends. Both are necessary to build empires.

Math is surprsingly full of numbers that seem to have no real world equivalent. As has been said many times i is very important for various engineering tasks despite it being imaginary. As another fun mind twist: Calculus teaches you how you divide by zero. Once you start getting into the higher level maths you just need to forget everything your teachers have ever taught you.

Wait, how do you divide by zero?