The raise of iota

Algebra Level 3

i i = ? \Large { i }^{ i } = \ ?

Note: i = 1 i = \sqrt{-1} .

Image Credit: Wikimedia Januszkaja
A purely imaginary number A number of form a + b i ; a , b 0 a+bi;a,b\neq 0 1 1 A purely real number i i

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15 solutions

Shivamani Patil
Jul 2, 2015

i = e i k π 2 i i = e i 2 k π 2 = e k π 2 i={ e }^{ ik\frac { \pi }{ 2 } }\Rightarrow { i }^{ i }={ e }^{ { i }^{ 2 }k\frac { \pi }{ 2 } }={ e }^{ -k\frac { \pi }{ 2 } } which is a purely real number.

k = 4 n + 1 k=4n+1

why did u attach 'k' with pi?? k has to be 1 or in d form 4*(n )+ 1 where n is an integer.k cannot be 2 ,3..

Nitin Jaitly - 5 years, 11 months ago

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It is because that exponential can take multiple values.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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If it is 2 then it becomes sin 180, which is zero. We require 4n + 1 multiples of pi by 2.

Vishnu Bhagyanath - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Vishnu Bhagyanath In the next line, he has put a conditional clause to constrain the values of k to 4n+1. i.e. k = 1,5,9... for n = 0,1,2... Just another way of putting across the same point.

Sharat Embrandiri - 5 years, 11 months ago

He did write that!

Rishi Raj - 5 years, 3 months ago

You need to be careful with complex exponentiation. There could be multiple values that i i i ^ i takes on.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 11 months ago

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So can you tell me how to specify them?

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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So, more accurately, because e 2 k π i = 1 e^{2k \pi i } = 1 , we have i = e i k π 2 i = e ^ { i \frac{k \pi }{2} } , and so i i = e i 2 k π 2 = e k π 2 i ^ i = e ^ { i^2 \frac{ k \pi } { 2} } = e ^ { - \frac{k\pi}{2} } , as the multiple values of the complex exponentiation.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Calvin Lin So I was writing this solution for principle value of argument.Correct me if I am wrong .

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Shivamani Patil Since you're finding the value of i i i^i , you should show that the all the (possible) values you've found are real numbers, instead of just showing one such value is a real number.

Pi Han Goh - 5 years, 11 months ago

@Shivamani Patil Yes, your solution applies to the principle value.

However, the question did not say "We are restricted to principle value of the argument". As such, there is the possibility that one of its values is real, while another of its value is complex.

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Calvin Lin Thank you.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

@Calvin Lin I don't understand why you could write that e 2 k π i = 1 e^{2k\pi i}=1 . We cannot square both sides of an equation if one of them is negative, or am I missing something? Thank you

Mat Met - 5 years, 1 month ago

sIR, could u please explain how can i^i have multiple values ?

Zeeshan Ali - 5 years, 7 months ago

Can you tell me where you get that formula from? or is it like a formula?

Yannick Gata - 5 years, 6 months ago

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Click on the "View Wiki" button, which sends you to De Moivres Theorem .

Calvin Lin Staff - 5 years, 6 months ago

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Thanks! Calvin Lin.

Yannick Gata - 5 years, 6 months ago

You are 15, must be in 10th grade? I'm surprised they teach you Euler's equation in India at this level. Where I live the 10th grade syllabus doesn't comprise of Euler's equation.

Mehdia Nadeem - 5 years, 11 months ago

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They didn't teach nor I have it in our syllabus. I learned it by myself.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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From where do you learn? Any specific website or book?

Mehdia Nadeem - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Mehdia Nadeem I mostly learned it from online videos and articles .

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Shivamani Patil They say " Formal education earns you a living but personal education earns you a fortune." I believe this.

Mehdia Nadeem - 5 years, 11 months ago

You don't even know India . We have world's one of the worst education system.

A Former Brilliant Member - 5 years, 6 months ago

Calvin Lin, please mentor me . . . . . I really want to excel im math too . . . .

neil ryan manolong - 5 years, 11 months ago

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You will excel.Slowly you will learn all concepts from wiki's ,problems and note that members post.Learn basics to have a strong foundation for advanced maths.I have a similar story of mine when I started brilliant I used to just stare at problems I didn't knew what to do,but slowly all problems,note and wikis helped me a lot.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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thank you so much , I will follow what you have said. I am now more motivated than before. Again, thank you so much.

neil ryan manolong - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Neil Ryan Manolong Welcome brother,happy journey.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

any specific book or website?

pulkit gopalani - 5 years, 11 months ago

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For what?You mean complex numbers?

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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not specifically complex nos., but a reply to your comment that you studied it on your own. i meant general topics out of class 10 syllabus.

pulkit gopalani - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Pulkit Gopalani Mostly internet.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Shivamani Patil i have a friend of mine who is taught things like this in coaching centers for IITJEE, so i probably thought there was such a specific book......... anyways, i will search, if i get time!(ps. i hate social science, but have to study and that is why i dont get much time to search this interesting stuff.)

pulkit gopalani - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Pulkit Gopalani Me too hate Sst but economics seems interesting .There are books in markey search for books on google amd you can buy them.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

@Pulkit Gopalani Use Eulers formula. e (power ) ix= cos x + i sin x substitute x = pie/2

so e (power)i.pie/2 = cos pie/2 +i sin pie/2 = i.

now Shivamani Patils solution continues.

Prasad Imm - 5 years, 6 months ago

Maybe you should try "Complex Variables" from Mark J. Ablowitz and Athanassios S. Fokas or "Complex Analysis" from Serge Lang.

Al Far - 5 years, 10 months ago

search "i^i" on google and it will give you a number, 0.20787957635, and that is a perfectly valid and real number.

Euan Zhang - 5 years, 11 months ago
Kirk Bienvenu
Jul 8, 2015

This shows that i to the i is purely a real number.

Edit: for those curious about Euler

But i = e 5 i π / 2 i=e^{5i\pi/2} too... thus i i = e 5 π / 2 i^i=e^{-5\pi/2} ... which of course does not affect the final answer... but... is a b a^b well defined as an operation between complex numbers?

David Molano - 5 years, 6 months ago
Farah Roslend
Jul 29, 2015

Let z = i =e^[(0.5pi).i]

Thus, using Moivre's Theorem,

z^i = (e^[(0.5pi).i] )^i
= e^-0.5pi = real number

Moderator note:

Yes, that is one of the possible values of i i i ^ i . With complex exponentiation, you have to be careful with the possibility of multiple values.

Dollar Rendla
Jul 8, 2015

i=(-1)^1/2

i^i=(-1)^1/2)^-1)^1/2)

=(-1)^1/2)^-1/2)

=(-1)^-1/4

 =-(1/(1^1/4))

=-(1/1)

Which is a real number.

Something wrong...

Tùng Lê Văn - 5 years, 11 months ago

before the last step you forgot about the minus sign. (-a)^b = [(-1)^b ]*[(a)^b] where a=1 and b=1/4.. Actually ur approach is somewhat wrong. And it seems u forcefully gave the solution..

Nitin Jaitly - 5 years, 11 months ago

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Wouldn't that still give a real number?

Dollar Rendla - 5 years, 11 months ago

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In short, simple algebra does not apply to complex problems just like this problem which involves complex numbers.

Nitin Jaitly - 5 years, 11 months ago

it is giving real answer but the answer theoretically is wrong. Actually it is exponential.You have actually done it totally wrong. from the start itself,u were wrong. Actually it cant be done with simple algebra. Its got to be solved with Eulers thorem and most importantly the common mathematics skills. YOU MAY REFER to the solution which i gave

Nitin Jaitly - 5 years, 11 months ago

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@Nitin Jaitly WHY can it not be solved with simple algebra?

Dollar Rendla - 5 years, 11 months ago

Simple and great way to solve.

Mehdia Nadeem - 5 years, 11 months ago

e^{π×i}+1=0 =>e^{π×i}=-1 Then, -1=i^{2} so e^{π×i}=i^{2} Square root, i=(e^{π×i})^{1/2}=e^{i×π/2} So i^i=e^{i×i×π/2}=e^{-π/2}, and this is a real number...

Hesham Meneisi
Jul 8, 2015

ln(i^i) = i*ln(i) = (i^2) * (pi/2) = -pi/2

i^i = exp(-pi/2)

Which is a purely real number.

Note: i=exp((pi/2)i) => ln(i)=(pi/2)i

Matt Glasby
Dec 3, 2015

From Euler we know e^(i pi) = -1, note i^2 = -1 hence e^(i pi / 2) = i , now if we raise this all to the power of i then we get i^i = (e^(i pi / 2))^i , who this gives us e^(i^2 pi / 2) and as i^2 = -1 then i^i = e^(-pi / 2) which approximates to 0.2079

Adailton Júnior
Nov 19, 2015

i^(i) = (exp(ln(i)))^i ==> ( a^b=exp(b*ln(a)) )

     = exp(i*(i*pi/2)) ==> ( ln(z) = ln(r) + i*arg(z) )

     = exp(-pi/2)         ==> ( i*i = i^2 = -1 )
Hadia Qadir
Jul 22, 2015

Huân Lê Quang
Jul 14, 2015

By the Euler's formula: exp(i x pi/2) = cos(pi/2)+ i x sin(pi/2) = i ( where exp is the exponential function, exp(x) = e^x)

Raising both side to i, we have:

exp(i x i x pi/2) = i^i

So,

i^i = exp(-pi/2) which is a purely real number

Juan Almenara
Jul 12, 2015

a) ln(i^i) = i * ln(i); b) i = exp(i * pi/2); c) i * ln(i)=i * i * pi/2 = -pi/2 = "purely real"; d) i^i = exp("purely real") = "purely real"

taking i=exp(ix) ; where x is any complex number (a+ib) form

by De Moivre's theorem.....

exp(ix)= cos x+ i sin x

let, x= Π/2

exp(iΠ/2)= cos Π/2+i sinΠ/2= i ; satisfying the eqn.

i^i = exp[(i^2) Π/2] = exp (-Π/2) = 0.2078 ; a real value

for any real no. x= (2kΠ+Π/2) ;k =0,1,2,3......

i.e., exp[-(2kΠ+Π/2)]=i^i ; which gives real values

Jamil Kalami
Jul 4, 2015

using euler's identity we can solve it to get e^pi/2 which is purely real

e^iπ=-1
=>(-1)^1/2=e^iπ/2
=>i=e^iπ/2
=>i^i=e^(iπ/2)i=e^(-π/2)=0.207879....which is a purely real number.


Nitin Jaitly
Jul 4, 2015

i^i=[cos (pi/2) + i sin (pi/2)]^i = e^[(i pi/2) (i)] = e ^ ( -pi/2) which is purely real

This solution applies for principle value of argument .You should show that it is true for all cases.

shivamani patil - 5 years, 11 months ago

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ok i m going to change it this way i^i=[cos k(pi/2) + i sin k(pi/2)]^i = e^[k(ipi/2)(i)] = e ^ ( -k pi/2) which is purely real where k is like 1,5,9 i.e of the form 4 (n) +1 where n is an integer..

Nitin Jaitly - 5 years, 11 months ago

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