Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!eng.ufl.edu!SIDNEY@COED.COASTAL.UFL.EDU From: sidney@coed.coastal.ufl.edu Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Why sqrt(-1)=j and not sqrt(-1)=i Message-ID: <00947E99.1F92FD80@COED.COASTAL.UFL.EDU> Date: 30 Apr 91 21:27:47 GMT References: <1139@helps.cactus.org> Sender: news@eng.ufl.edu Reply-To: sidney@coed.coastal.ufl.edu Organization: Cosatal and Engineering Department Lines: 9 > >In math the sqrt(-1) is representated by the letter i. In electronics >why is the letter j used to represent the square root of -1? > >Thanks for any replies, posted or Emailed. > The letter i is used to represent current flow in Electrical Engineering ie. E=I*R so another letter character is needed to represent sqrt(-1) and j was chosen.