SOLUTION: Select any imaginary number ( of the form "a + bi" where a and b are non zero real numbers), and turn it into a real number by using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

Question 142394: Select any imaginary number ( of the form "a + bi" where a and b are non zero real numbers), and turn it into a real number by using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or exponentiation.
Answer by ptaylor(2198) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Lets just use a+bi and then you can use any value of a and b that you like.
Using the FOIL (First, Outer, Inner, Last) crutch, we'll multiply a+bi by a-bi
(a+bi)(a-bi)=a^2-abi+abi-b^2i^2 but i^2=-1, so we have:
a^2+b^2-------------------------------------Ans
a-bi is called the conjugate of a+bi and the conjugate is commonly used to eliminate the radical in the denominator of an equation or expression.
Hope this helps---ptaylor
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