Complex numbers not in fundamental class?

Hi Community

Since a complex number is 1x1 array, why isn't in fundamental class type of datas?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

Observe

format long g
t = complex(single(3), single(-5)), whos t

t = single
             3 -            5i

  Name      Size            Bytes  Class     Attributes

  t         1x1                 8  single    complex   

t = complex(double(3), double(-5)), whos t

t = 
                          3 -                     5i

  Name      Size            Bytes  Class     Attributes

  t         1x1                16  double    complex   

t = complex(int8(3), int8(-5)), whos t

t = int8
    3 -    5i

  Name      Size            Bytes  Class    Attributes

  t         1x1                 2  int8     complex   

t = complex(uint64(3), uint64(5))

t = uint64
   3 +   5i

Complex is an attribute, not a class. If you made it a class, you would need a separate class for each different datatype that can be complex -- single, double, int8, uint8, int16, uint16, int32, uint32, int64, uint64. (Complex logical and complex char get converted to double precision.)

Meanwhile you would still need isnumeric() and issingle() and isdouble() and isinteger() to continue to work on the values. What would your inheritence hierarchy be?