What is the squiggly thing over B

shanepitts · Apr 8, 2015

I am currently taking an optics course and I have been seeing this squiggly symbol of supposed vectors. Are these vectors? In the case of the attached image the squiggly symbol is over B.

Thanks

gleem · Apr 8, 2015

The squiggly symbol is the tilde. In this case it indicates a complex number called a phasor which is sort of a vector quantity i.e. a number with two components one real and one imaginary A +iB where i = sqrt(-1) This notation is also used in AC circuit theory.

What is the squiggly thing over B

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What is the squiggly thing over B

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