In mathematics, a root of unity, occasionally called a de Moivre number, is any complex number that equals 1 when raised to some integer power n. Roots of unity are used in many branches of mathematics, and are especially important in number theory, the theory of group characters, field theory, and the discrete Fourier transform.
The notion of root of unity also applies to any algebraic ring with a multiplicative identity element, namely a root of unity is any element of finite multiplicative order.
Read more about Root Of Unity: Definition, Elementary Facts, Examples, Periodicity, Summation, Orthogonality, Cyclotomic Polynomials, Cyclic Groups, Cyclotomic Fields, Root of Unity in Finite Fields
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—Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980)