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From: touch@gradient.cis.upenn.edu (Joseph D. Touch)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Why sqrt(-1)=j and not sqrt(-1)=i
Message-ID: <42336@netnews.upenn.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 01:55:43 GMT
References: <1139@helps.cactus.org> <38610010@col.hp.com>
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Reply-To: touch@gradient.cis.upenn.edu (Joseph D. Touch)
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(why is 'i' used in math, and 'j' in EE, both for SQRT(-1)...)

In article <38610010@col.hp.com> bobw@col.hp.com (Bob Witte) writes:
>    Possible answers:
>     1) To confuse math majors and keep them out of EE.
>
>     2) sqrt (-1) had to be j because i is used for current
>        Why isn't c used for current? Because c is used for capacitance.
>

OOOPS - isn't 'c' already used for the speed of light?

So many constants, so few characters.

[Physics, EE, etc] is the eternal struggle to convert 'fudge factors'
into universal constants - and get your name on them!
	- Joe Touch (yup - like I got my name on this quote!)