Chapter 1 Complex Numbers
Get ready for a treat. You are about to begin studying some of the most beautiful ideas in mathematics. They are ideas with surprises. They evolved over several centuries, yet they greatly simplify extremely difficult computations, making some as easy as sliding a hot knife through butter. They also have applications in a variety of areas, ranging from fluid flow, to electric circuits, to the mysterious quantum world. Generally, they belong to the area of mathematics known as complex analysis, which is the subject of this book. This chapter focuses on the development of entities we now call complex numbers.
