In a complex number would you put i in front of or after a radical? I've seen it written both ways and I'm very confused

Question

imaginary numbers. complex numbers.radicals. order in a solution

Answer 1

The safest way, when you write on paper, especially, is to put the i first. This prevents it from being misconstrued as part of the radicand!  But don't worry, multiplication is commutative so either order is permissible, as long as the i doesn't 'creep' into a place where it does not belong.

Answer 2

Although it does not technically matter, it is customary to put the i

in front of the radical, so there is no confusion as to whether or not

the i belongs under the radical.

 

Example :     1 + sqrt 3 i  vs.   1 + i sqrt 3

 

  In the former, it is not clear if the imaginary number

  i belongs under the radical sign or not. In the latter example

  there is no doubt. (Yes, parenthesis will solve the ambiguity)