HP 15c Scientific Calculating With, Complex Numbers, Section, Creating the Complex Stack

Section 11

Calculating With

Complex Numbers

The HP-15C enables you to calculate with complex numbers, that is, numbers of the form

a + ib,

where a is the real part of the complex number,

b is the imaginary part of the complex number, and

i= − 1 .

As you will see, the beauty of calculating with the HP-15C in Complex mode is that once the complex numbers are keyed in, most operations are executed in the same manner as with real numbers.

The Complex Stack and Complex Mode

Calculations with complex numbers are performed using a complex stack composed of two parallel four-register stacks (and two LAST X registers). One of these parallel stacks – referred to as the real stack – contains the real parts of complex numbers used in calculations. (This is the same stack used in ordinary calculations.) The other stack – referred to as the imaginary stack – contains the imaginary parts of complex numbers used in calculations.

Creating the Complex Stack

The imaginary stack is created (by converting five storage registers as described in appendix C) when you activate Complex mode; it does not exist when the calculator is not in Complex mode.

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