Author Question: What is the derivative of the imaginary number i? (Read 1374 times)

coco

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 739
I thought of using the definition of the derivative to find it: f'(x)=lim (h->0) (f(x+h)-f(x))/h = lim ((i+h)-i)/h = lim h/h = lim 1 = 1. Is this right? Are there other proofs?



Jesse_J

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 282
Actually i acts just as any other constant does. So the derivative of i with respect to some variable is 0.

Proof:
Let f(x) = i
Square both sides:
[f(x)]² = i²
[f(x)]² = -1
Implicitly differentiate:
2 f(x) f'(x) = 0
f(x) f'(x) = 0
i f'(x) = 0
f'(x) = 0 / i
f'(x) = 0



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question

Joesy

  • Guest
The number i is a constant, so its derivative is zero.  I think?



 

Did you know?

More than 150,000 Americans killed by cardiovascular disease are younger than the age of 65 years.

Did you know?

Approximately one in four people diagnosed with diabetes will develop foot problems. Of these, about one-third will require lower extremity amputation.

Did you know?

More than 50% of American adults have oral herpes, which is commonly known as "cold sores" or "fever blisters." The herpes virus can be active on the skin surface without showing any signs or causing any symptoms.

Did you know?

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system destroys its own healthy tissues. When this occurs, white blood cells cannot distinguish between pathogens and normal cells.

Did you know?

Complications of influenza include: bacterial pneumonia, ear and sinus infections, dehydration, and worsening of chronic conditions such as asthma, congestive heart failure, or diabetes.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library