Question

In python documentation it is wrote for built-in function complex([real[imag]]):

..or convert a string or number to a complex number.

But when I try:

>>> complex('string')

I get:

  Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<interactive input>", line 1, in <module>
  ValueError: complex() arg is a malformed string

I don’t understand something. I will be glad if someone tells me what is about?
Sorry if this question is simple, but i just start to learn python.

Answer 1

The complex function is used for working with complex numbers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_number), of the form a+bj. So you can use it like this:

>>> a = complex("1+2j")
>>> a
(1+2j)
>>> a*a
(-3+4j)