Also tbf, rational numbers are just the lattice modded out by the equivalence relations (a, b) ~ (c, d) iff ad = bc, and the equivalence classes just happen to form an ordered field. If you show an undergrad math/science student this esoteric definition of rationals, the motivation of "2D numbers" makes a lot more sense. Of course, please don't show this to an elementary or middle schooler, a high schooler might be able to handle this if they're passionate about math.