Chapter 2

Complex numbers

2.1 Algebraic form:

the set of complex numbers is created as an extension of the set of real numbers, containing
in particular an imaginary number denoted i. This new number, combined with the real
numbers, is the basis of the complex numbers. The appearance of these numbers has simplified
the resolution of many physical problems. In particular, electronics and electrical engineering
make extensive use of complex numbers.
Definition 2.1
Every number z can be uniquely written in the algebraic form z = x + iy where x, y ∈ R
and i2 = −1. This is called the algebraic form of the complex number z. The real x is
called the ”real part of z” and is written Re(z). The real y is called the ” imaginary part
of z” and is denoted by Im(z). If y = 0 then z ∈ R is a real number, if x = 0 then z is a
pure imaginary.

Example 2.1
1. 2 + 4i is a complex number whose real part is 2 and imaginary part is 4.
√ √
2. π + 2i is a complex number which real part is π and imaginary part is 2.

3. 3i is pure imaginary.

Complex numbers follow the same rules as the four operations on real numbers (addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division).
1. Equality: Two complex numbers z = x + iy and z prime = a + ib are equal if
(x, y) = (a, b). pay attention: there is no inequality in C.
2. addition, multiplication: Let be two complex numbers z = x + iy and
z ′ = a + ib. (
z + z ′ = (x + a) + i(y + b)
zz ′ = (xa − yb) + i(xb + ay).

Definition 2.2: Conjugate Complex Numbers

Let z = x + iy be any complex number. The complex number x − iy is called the complex
conjugate of z , and is denoted by z̄ .

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Chapter 02 Complex numbers

Example 2.2
For example, the conjugate of z = 2 − 3i est z̄ = 2 + 3i

Proposition 2.1

Let z and z ′ be two complex numbers then:

1. z=z
2. z + z′ = z + z′
3. z.z ′ = z.z ′
4. z + z = 2 × Re(z)
5. z − z = 2i × Im(z)
z z
6. ( ′ ) = ′ with z ′ ̸= 0
z z

2.2 Trigonometric Form of Complex Numbers :

Definition 2.3: Modulus of Complex Number

For any complex number z = x + iy, the real number r = |z|, defined by:
q
r = |z| = x2 + y 2

is called the modulus of z.

Example 2.3
√ q √ √
The modulus of the complex number z = 2 − 2i is |z| = 22 + ( 2)2 = 6.

Proposition 2.2

Let z and z ′ be two complex numbers then:

1. |z| ≥ 0
2. |z| = |z|
3. z.z = |z|2
4. |z| = 0 ⇐⇒ z = 0
5. |z.z ′ | = |z||z ′ |
6. |Re(z)| ≤ |z| and |Im(z)| ≤ |z|
7. |z n | = |z|n , n ∈ N
8. |z + z ′ | ≤ |z| + |z ′ | et ||z| − |z ′ || ≤ |z − z ′ |

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Chapter 02 Complex numbers

Definition 2.4: Argument of Complex Number

x
Every non-zero complex number z = x + iy can be written in the form z = |z|( +
|z|
y
i),Ṫhe argument of the complex number z, denoted (arg(z)), is the real number θ ∈
|z|
[0, 2π[ defined by :  x
 cos θ =


|z|
y
 sin θ = .


|z|
where |z| is the modulus of the complex number z .

Example 2.4
√
for z = 1 + 3i, we have:
√
z =1+ 3i
√
1 3
= 2( + )
2 2
π π
= 2(cos + sin )
3 3
π
in this example arg(z) = θ = and r = |z| = 2
3

Proposition 2.3

Let z and z ′ be two complex numbers then:

1. arg(z.z ′ ) = arg(z) + arg(z ′ )

2. arg(z) = − arg(z)
1
3. arg( ) = − arg(z)
z

Theorem 2.1: Trigonometric

Any non-null complex number z can be written as:

z = r(cos θ + i sin θ) with r = |z| et θ = arg(z) + 2kπ, k ∈ Z

2.3 Exponential Form

Remark 2.1
From proposition (2.3) and since the product of two exponentials is equal to the expo-
nential of the sum. For this reason, we introduce the following notation:

eiθ = cos θ + i sin θ

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Chapter 02 Complex numbers

Definition 2.5
Any non-zero complex number z can be written in exponential form

z = |z|ei arg(z)

Example 2.5
π √ √
i π π 2 2
1. e 4 = cos + i sin = +i
4 4 2 2
√
2. For z = 1 + i 3, we have:
√
z =1+i 3
√
1 3
= 2( + i )
2 2
π π
= 2(cos + i sin )
3 3
π
i
= 2e 3

2.4 De Moiver’s Theorem and Euler’s Formula

De Moiver’s Formula
For any real number θ and for any integer n:

(cos θ + i sin θ)n = cos nθ + i sin nθ

Or
(eiθ )n = einθ

Euler’s Formulas
for all x ∈ R and all n ∈ Z we have
eix + e−ix
1. cos x =
2
eix − e−ix
2. sin x =
2i
e + e−inx
inx
3. cos nx =
2
einx − e−inx
4. sin nx =
2i

Linearization of trigonometric polynomials

It consists in transforming the powers cosn (x), sinn (x) into sums and multiples of expres-
sions of the type sin(kx) and cos(k.x) . To do this, we use Euler’s formulas and Newton’s
binomial (a + b)n .

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Chapter 02 Complex numbers

Example 2.6
From Euler’s formula
1  ix 
cos(x) = e + e−ix
2
We have:

1.
(a + b)2 = a2 + b2 + 2ab

 1
2 1 i2x −i2x ⇒ cos2 (x) = (2 cos(2x) + 2)
 cos (x) = (e + e + 2) 4
4
which implies that:
1
cos2 (x) = (cos(2x) + 1)
2
2.
(a + b)3 = a3 + b3 + 3a2 b + 3ab2

 1
1 i3x −i3x ix −ix ⇒ cos3 (x) = (2 cos(3x) + 6 cos(x))
 cos3 (x) = (e + e + 3e + 3e ) 8
8
which implies that:
1
cos3 (x) = (cos(3x) + 3 cos(x))
4
3.
(a + b)4 = a4 + 4a3 b + 6a2 b2 + 4ab3 + b4


1 i4x
 cos4 (x) = (e + e−i4x + 4ei2x + 4e−i2x + 6)
16
1
⇒ cos4 (x) = (2 cos(4x) + 8 cos(2x) + 6)
16
which implies that:

1
cos4 (x) = (cos(4x) + 4 cos(2x) + 3)
8

4.
(a + b)5 = a5 + 5a4 b + 10a3 b2 + 10a2 b3 + 5ab4 + b5


1 i5x
 cos5 (x) = (e + e−i5x + 5(ei3x + e−i3x ) + 10(eix + e−ix ))
32
which implies that:

1
cos5 (x) = (cos(5x) + 5 cos(3x) + 10 cos(x))
16

5.
(a + b)6 = a6 + 6a5 b + 15a4 b2 + 20a3 b3 + 15a2 b4 + 6ab5 + b6


1 i6x
 cos6 (x) = (e + e−i6x + 6(ei4x + e−i4x ) + 15(ei2x + e−i2x ) + 20)
64
which implies that:
1
cos6 (x) = (cos(6x) + 6 cos(4x) + 15 cos(2x) + 10)
32

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Chapter 02 Complex numbers

2.5 Square roots

Definition 2.6
The square root of a complex number a is any number b whose square is a

Example 2.7

a. 1 + i and −1 − i are the square roots of 2i because (1 + i)2 = (−1 − i)2 = 2i.

b. −4 has two opposite square roots : +2i, −2i.

Remark 2.2
To determine the square roots of z = x + iy it is sometimes simpler to proceed by
identification, i.e. to find the real numbers α and β such that (x + iy) = (α + iβ)2 we
obtain:
2 2

 α −β
 =x
2αβ = y√
 2 2
α + β = x2 + y 2


Definition 2.7
Let n ∈ N∗ , a ∈ C. The complex number z such that z n = a is called an n-th root of a.

Example 2.8
√ √
a = 2, b = −1 − i 3, c = −1 + i 3 : these are the cubic roots of 8 in C, also known as
the third roots of 8.