Changing real part of complex number?

I have an array of compelx numbers. I'd like to change the real part of the 34th array member to zero. This code doesn't work:

    real( my_complex_array(34) ) = 0;

What's the solution?

Answer 1

[John D'Errico]

X = (1:35)' * (1+1i);  % not being very creative here

Now, there are lots of ways to just kill the real part of only the 34'th element. This will work:

X(34) = X(34) - real(X(34));

Perhaps simpler, because it will not require the subtraction.

X(34) = 1i*imag(X(34));

Or,

X(34) = 0 + 1i*imag(X(34));

Another one, using complex.

X(34) = complex(0,imag(X(34));

In any event, did it work?

X(33:35)
ans =
         33 +         33i
          0 +         34i
         35 +         35i

Of course it did.

Answer 2

[KSSV]

z = rand(50,1)+1i*rand(50,1) ;

z(34) = 0+1i*imag(z(34))