Multiplication Through Imaginary Numbers

Created by Shotobhisha Ray on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 21:25

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Description: 

This painting by Crockett Johnson in 1967 is from the National Museum of American History. It was inspired by ideas of Carl Friedrich Gauss on the Fundamental Theorm of Algebra and his work on imaginary numbers. Gauss showed that just as real numbers can be represented on a number line, complex numbers can also be represented on a coordinate plane. Eric Temple Bell in J. R. Newman's The World of Mathematics  expands on this idea and this painting is strongly inspired by a figure in his article. 

This is the figure which has inspired this painting

This is the figure that inspired this painting.

Copyright: 

© National Museum of American History

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Timeline of Events Associated with Multiplication Through Imaginary Numbers

Fundamental Theorem of Algebra Proved

1799

In his doctoral thesis, mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss proved the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra.  It was titled "Demonstratio nova theorematis omnem functionem algebraicam rationalem integram unius variabilis in factores reales primi vel secundi gradus resolvi posse " which  translates to "New proof of the theorem that every integral algebraic function of one variable can be resolved into real factors (i.e., polynomials) of the first or second degree."

Fundamental Theorem of Algebra Proved

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TimelineJS

Part of Group:

Engaging English (F19 ENGL 202, Purdue)

Artist: 

  • Crockett Johnson

Image Date: 

1967