# Factoring imaginary numbers

1. Nov 25, 2006

### NutriGrainKiller

This is a physics problem but I am having trouble factoring this matrix. Basically, there shouldn't be anything left inside the matrix except 0's, 1's, or i's (any of which can be negative). This seems like such an easy problem but I cannot find something that works.

Any ideas?

$$\frac {1} {2\sqrt{2}} \left(\begin{array}{cc}1+\sqrt{3}\\1-\sqrt{3}\end{array}\right)$$

in case anyone finds this confusing this is a 2 row 1 column matrix.

Last edited: Nov 26, 2006
2. Nov 26, 2006

### NutriGrainKiller

bumping because i just now got the latex to display properly

3. Nov 26, 2006

### stunner5000pt

couldnt you simply subract the rows from each other??

4. Nov 26, 2006

### Hurkyl

Staff Emeritus
Why do you think it can be put into that form?

5. Nov 26, 2006

### NutriGrainKiller

No I don't think so

because the inside can only result in one of several cases, all of which contain only 0's, 1's, or imaginary numbers. anything else wouldn't make sense

6. Nov 26, 2006

### Hurkyl

Staff Emeritus
Then maybe this is a spurious solution. What were you actually solving?

Last edited: Nov 26, 2006