The continuum is called so because it was the first (and most prominent) [[Continuous|continuous]] set studied by mathematicians. No additional numbers may be added to the continuum (real line) without losing its dense linear order. Since the [[Complex_number|complex numbers]] add the [[Imaginary_number|imaginary number]], i, to the real line, this is one reason they have no natural linear order. | The continuum is called so because it was the first (and most prominent) [[Continuous|continuous]] set studied by mathematicians. No additional numbers may be added to the continuum (real line) without losing its dense linear order. Since the [[Complex_number|complex numbers]] add the [[Imaginary_number|imaginary number]], i, to the real line, this is one reason they have no natural linear order. |