Complex numbers

For any real number x, x2 0 and therefore x2 + 1 1>0 for x R. Thus the equation x2 + 1 = 0 has no
solution in R. This equation has a solution in the complex number field.
Note that i, -i are the solutions of the equation x2 + 1 = 0. i = .

Definition: A number of the form a + ib is called a complex number when a and b are real numbers
and i = . We denote the set of all complex numbers by C. Two complex numbers z1 = (a1,b1) and
z2 = (a2,b2) are equal if a1=a2 and b1=b2.
A pair of complex numbers a + ib and a – ib are said to be conjugate of each other.

Fundamental operations with complex numbers:

1. Addition: z1 + z2 = ( a 1 +ib 1 ) + ( a2 + ib 2 )=( a1 + a2 ) + i ( b 1 +b 2 ) = (a1+a2, b1+b2)

2. Subtraction: z1 - z2 = ( 1
a +ib 1 ) −( a 2 +ib 2 ) =( a1 −a2 ) +i ( b 1−b 2 )
= (a1-a2, b1-b2)
3. Multiplication:z1z2 = ( 1
a +ib 1 )( a2 +ib 2 ) =( a 1 a2 −b1 b2 ) +i ( a2 b1 + a1 b 2 )
= (a1a2 – b1b2, a1b2+a2b1)
a1 + ib 1 a 1 +ib 1 a 2−ib 2 a1 a2 +b 1 b2 a 2 b1 −a1 b 2
= . = +i
a2 +ib 2 a2 +ib 2 a 2−ib 2 a22 +b 22 a22 + b22
4. Division:

Graphical representation of a complex number:

y
(a,b)

If z = (a,b), then a and b are the real and imaginary parts of the complex number z, denoted by
Re( z)=R ( z)=a and Im( z)=I( z )=b . The complex numbers can be represented as points in R2
and we call the x-axis and y-axis to be the real and imaginary axis respectively. The plane itself is
called the Argand plane. Also one can think of a complex number as a vector from the origin to the
point (a,b).

Example: Let and . Then their sum is given by

And their difference is given by

Their product is given by

,
Example: We find the real and imaginary part of . Since

We have

And therefore

From these equation, we conclude that

And

Modulus of a complex number (Absolute value)

For any complex number z=a+bi⇒|z|=√ a2 +b2 is a nonnegative real number and therefore
there is a nonnegative square root for . This nonnegative square root of is the
modulus of the complex number. Note also that .

Definition: Let be a complex number. The nonnegative square root of is the

modulus (or the absolute value) of the number and is denoted by ; thus we have

Argument of a complex number (Polar form):

Definition: Let be any nonzero complex number. Let . The argument of a nonzero
complex number , denoted by , is the angle defined by the equations

y
(a,b)
b
θ x
a
The argument of a complex number is the angle between the real axis and the line segment joining
the origin to the point . We can write any nonzero complex number in the following polar form

We write (Euler Formula)

And thus
= r ∠θ

r is called the modulus (or magnitude) of z and θ is called the argument (or amplitude) of z.

Example 1: Express the complex number 2+2 √3i in polar form.

Solution: Modulus or absolute value, r=|2+2 √3i|= √4+12=4

∴2=4 cosθ ,2 √ 3=4sin θ
π
, θ=tan−1 √ 3=
Amplitude or argument 3
πi

Then 2+2 √3i =

( π
3
π
r ( cos θ+i sinθ )=4 cos +i sin =4 e 3
3 )
Example 2: Let . Then
And the argument is given by

Clearly

Thus

Let . The modulus of is given by

And the argument is given by

Therefore,

And
Let . In this case, we have and the argument and therefore

Let . Then

And the argument is given by

Clearly,

Thus

Example 3: Convert (a) 4∠30∘ , (b) 7∠−145∘ into Cartesian form.

Solution
(a) Using trigonometric ratios, x=4 cos30∘=3. 464 , y=4 sin 30∘=2
Hence 4 ∠30∘=3 .464+i2

(b)7∠−145∘ lies in the 3rd quadrant.

∘ ∘ ∘
Angle θ=180 −145 =35
Hence x=7cos35∘=5.734 , y=7sin 35∘=4.015
Hence 7∠−145∘=−5.734−i4 .015

Example 4: Solve the complex equation 2( x+iy )=6−i 3

Solution: 2( x+iy )=6−i 3⇒ 2 x+i 2 y =6−i3 ,
Equating the real and imaginary parts gives:
2x=6,2 y=−3
3
∴ x=3 , y=−
2
De Moivre’s Theorem:
(cos θ+i sin θ)n =cos nθ+isin nθ
**Roots of a complex number:
cos θ+i sin θ=cos ( 2mπ +θ )+i sin ( 2 mπ +θ ) , m∈ I
1 1
2 mπ +θ 2 mπ +θ
( cos θ+i sin θ ) =[ cos ( 2 mπ +θ ) +i sin ( 2 mπ +θ ) ] =cos
n n
+i sin
n n
Giving m the values of 0,1,2,…,n-1 successively, we get the required roots.
Nov 4, 2014
COMPLEX NUMBERs

1. Cartesian Coordinate

z=x +iy , where x, y ∈R

2. Polar Coordinate

z=r ( cos θ+isin θ ) ; where x=r cos θ , y=r sin θ , r= modulus , θ= argument

3. Euler Theorem
iθ
z=re =r <θ

4. De Moivre Theorem
n n n n
z =r (cos θ+i sinθ ) =r (cosnθ +isin nθ )
1 1 1 1
θ θ n θ θ
( )
n
z =r (cos θ+i sin θ) =r (cos +i sin )=√ r cos +i sin
n n n
n n n n

1 1
3 3
Example 1: Find the different values (root ) of z =( 1+ i)
Solution:

1+i=r (cosθ+isin θ )

y 1 π
θ=arctan =arctan =
r= √ 1 + 1 = √ 2
2 2
x 1 4
Where ,

Hence,

π π
1+i=√ 2(cos +isin )
4 4
 [( )] [ ( )]
1 1 1
π π π π
∴ ( 1+i ) = √2 cos +isin
3 3
= √ 2 cos (2 kπ + )+i sin(2 kπ + ) 3
4 4 4 4

[ ]
1
6 1 π 1 π
¿ 2 cos (2 kπ + )+isin (2 kπ + )
3 4 3 4

Where k is integer.

[ ] [ ]
1 1
1π3 6 1π π π
( 1+i ) =2 cos +i sin = 2 6 cos +i sin =. . ..
In case of k = 0, 34 34 12 12

In case of k = 1,

[ ( ) ( )] [ ( ) ( )]
1 1 1
3 1 π
6 1 π 1 9π 1 9π
( 1+i ) =2 cos 2 π + +i sin 2 π + =26 cos +i sin
3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4

[ ( ) ( )]
1
6 9π 9π
=2 cos +i sin =. .. . .
12 12

In case of k = 2,

[ ( ) ( )] [ ( ) ( )]
1 1 1
3 1 π
6 1 π 1 17 π 1 17 π
( 1+i ) =2 cos 4 π + +i sin 4 π+ =26 cos +i sin
3 4 3 4 3 4 3 4

[ ( ) ( )]
1
6 17 π 17 π
=2 cos +isin =. .. ..
12 12

Applications of complex numbers:

The effect of multiplying a phasor by i is to rotate it in a positive direction (i.e. anticlockwise) on an

∘
Argand diagram through 90 without altering its length.. Similarly, multiplying a phasor by – i rotates
the phasor through - 90∘ . These facts are used in a.c. theory since certain quantities in the phasor
diagrams lie at 90∘ to each other. For example, in the R-L series circuit V L leads i by 90∘ and may be
written as i
V L . Thus
V R+iV L=V , ∵V R=iR ,V =I X L , where X L is the inductive reactance, 2π fLΩ and V = IZ (Z is
the impedance) then
R+iX L=Z

1
V ∘ V R −iV c=V , ∴ R−iX c =Z , X c=
Similarly for the R – C circuit c lags I by 90 and 2 π fC

Impedance ( Z )
1
Z =R−iX C , where
X C=
1. R-C series : 2 π f C , V =V R−iV C .
 2. R-L series:
Z =R +iX L , where X L=2 πfL ; V =V R +iV L . V =IX L , V R =iR

Example 1: Determine the resistance and series inductance (or capacitance) for each of the following
impedances, assuming a frequency of 50 Hz:
(a )( 4 .0+i7 .0 ) Ω, (b)−i 20 Ω

Solution: (a) Impedance ,

Z =R +iX L Z = ( 4.0+i 7.0 ) Ω , hence
,
Resistance = 4.0Ω and reactance = 7.0 Ω , since the imaginary part is positive, the reactance is
i. e . X L=7 . 0 Ω,∵ X L=2 π fL , then inductance,
inductive,
X 7.0
L= L = =0 . 0223 H
2 π f 2 π (50) or 22.3 mH
(b)Impedance , Z = ( 0−i 20. 0 ) Ω , hence
Resistance = 0 and reactance = 20 Ω , since the imaginary part is negative, the reactance is capacitive,
1
i.e. X c =20 Ω,∵ X c=
2 π fC , then capacitance,
1 1
C= = F=159 .2 μF
2 π fX c 2 π (50 )(20 )