What is the Meaning of Re(function)?

[nkk2008]

I have seen the symbol Re(function) used. What does the Re stand for? I thought it was the Riemann zeta function, but I am pretty sure I am wrong (that is a lower case zeta...obviously). Is it the same as the script R?

I know this is a basic question, but I could not find documents online that clearly stated what Re was.

Thanks
Nkk

 

[Doc Al]

I'm no mathematician, but Re(z) stands for the real part of z. (Relevant where z is complex.)

Im(z) would be the imaginary part.

 

[berkeman]

I have seen the symbol Re(function) used. What does the Re stand for? I thought it was the Riemann zeta function, but I am pretty sure I am wrong (that is a lower case zeta...obviously). Is it the same as the script R?

I know this is a basic question, but I could not find documents online that clearly stated what Re was.

Thanks
Nkk

Sometimes it is used to designate taking the real part of a complex number. Does that fit the context, or is that too simplistic?


EDIT -- Oops, Doc beat me on the tie!

 

[nkk2008]

Thank you both. Now that you both said it, it seems really obvious.

The equation I was looking at was:

Taking the real part makes sense, and fits well.

Thanks again,
Nkk

 

[CellCoree]

The symbol Re(function) typically represents the real part of a complex-valued function. In mathematics, complex numbers have both a real and imaginary component. The real part of a complex number is the portion that lies on the horizontal axis, while the imaginary part lies on the vertical axis. The symbol Re(function) is used to denote the real part of a function, which is the value of the function when the imaginary component is equal to zero. This can be useful in analyzing the behavior of a function in the real plane. It is not the same as the script R, which is often used to represent the set of real numbers. I hope this helps clarify the meaning of Re(function).