(Comp.sys.handhelds)
Item: 2409 by bgribble at jarthur.claremont.edu
Author: [Bill Gribble]
  Subj: Complex units
  Date: Tue Mar 12 1991

Is there any way to use units on complex numbers?  I was doing some
  engineering-type stress calculations with complex numbers and was quite
  frustrated when I couldn't use units.  When the calculations are really
  involved and use a lot of equations is when you *really* want to check units
  to see if you're right, and I can't.

Is there a conceptual difficulty with complex numbers having units?  I mean, is
  the complex number (1_m, 1_m) mathematically meaningless?  Or is it just a
  quirk in the HP's unit management?

Any advice would be appreciated.

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**   Bill Gribble                     Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA   **
**   bgribble@jarthur.claremont.edu   Never heard of it?  You're stupid.   **
*****************************************************************************

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  Resp: 1 of 1 by billw at hpcvra.cv.hp.com.
Author: [William C Wickes]
  Date: Wed Mar 13 1991 17:53
 Lines: <Unknown>

There's no conceptual problem with complex numbers with units.  The 48 doesn't
happen to include an object type for such things; call it a limitation rather
than a quirk (remember ROM is full and life is short?).  However, you can enter
expressions like '(1_m,1_m)', which immediately compiles to '1_m+(1_m)*i'.
That opens up lots of possibilities.

Bill Wickes
HP Corvallis