ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author attempts to demystify complex numbers by showing how they should be viewed as compound values of basic quantities that work independently of one another—much like 2D vectors. By leading the topic from a small amount of backstory to a realistic scenario, a case is built for why the use of complex numbers is essential in everyday engineering problems. The foundational rules of complex algebra are explained by use of two theoretical concepts: incremental phase and geometric growth, which are derived by way of a simplified real-world example. Further elaboration is made on how complex algebra is often expressed in DSP texts so that the reader is better prepared come the time that they are ever required to read such a technical publication in the pursuit of implementing a DSP algorithm.
