From: Pat Ballew (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Nov 29, 2003 at 11:10:14
Subject: Re: The geometry of the complex roots of graphs

An addition to my last post...

I had the intention to check a possible source before posting, and forgot...
I just checked my library, and if you can find a copy of the book "Five
Fingers to Infinity", edited by Frank Swetz, there is an article about the
slow acceptance of complex numbers by Phillip Jones, on page 369, and on pg
374 there is an illustration from Wallis 1693 Algebra in Latin that shows
Wallis' approach to the complex solutions of a quadratic, which is a very
geometric version of the same idea you are speaking of.  

Sorry I didn't get this in the original... 

-Pat Ballew, for the T2T service

Post a public discussion message
Ask Teacher2Teacher a new question