+118677 http://web2.0calc.com/questions/how_19046
I saw this question yesterday and it was a question that I had often pondered myself so finally I had the incentive that I needed to Google it. :)
This was one of the things that i found.
http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/53844.html
I am wondering if other mathematicians, with more practical knowledge of the uses of mathematics, would like to comment further?
Dear Melody,
My name is Xin Hu (pronounced Jin Who). I have a PhD in humanities, and I have been studying higher math concepts for many years. I would like to talk to you about the origin of imaginary numbers. I assume you are familiar with the origins of the common Arabic numerals that we use for calculations (i.e. 1, 2, 3, etc.)? Imaginary numbers were first imagined--pardon the pun--at about the same time. You see, the ancient Arabs were also the largest growers of the hallucinogenic "khaleesi" plant (Scientific name: Ludus thronis), and people who drank khaleesi-plant extract were known for their vivid visions, in which historic figures would give them esoteric knowledge. These people needed a way to count these imaginary companions, and so they went to the wizards for help. One wizard, Merlin, had the genius idea of using imaginary numbers to count imaginary friends. And therein lies your answer, Melody. It was a pleasure talking with you.
Sincerely,
Xin Hu
