Disagreement on square root sign

[dcronje]

I recently posted a VB question which later developed into a hot argument about mathematic issues. Please go to

http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.p...00#post1352200

and tell me what you think.

[RAEsquivelC]

The square root of a number a is defined as that value that, when multiplied by itself, produces the number. Since, generally, (+x)*(+x) = (-x)*(-x), it is generally understood that a number has two square roots, the positive and the negative values.

Beyond the above, we're just playing around with mathematics or with semantics, or both.

[NotLKH]

Originally posted by RAEsquivelC
The square root of a number a is defined as that value that, when multiplied by itself, produces the number. Since, generally, (+x)*(+x) = (-x)*(-x), it is generally understood that a number has two square roots, the positive and the negative values.

Beyond the above, we're just playing around with mathematics or with semantics, or both.

The function that produces the square root of a number is defined to return the positive value, and the definition of "Square Root", supposidly, also, is a positive number.

BTW

What is i?

[NotLKH]

Good!
I knew Bugz would straighten you lot out!

[Dillinger4]

BTW

What is i?

i = sqr(-1)
i^2 = i * i  = sqr(-1)*sqr(-1) = -1
i^3 = i^2 * i = -1 * i = -i
i^4 = i^3 * i = -i * i = -i^2 = +1
i^5 = i4 * i = 1 * i = i and so on.......