2-5

2-5 Complex
Complex Numbers
Numbers and
and Roots
Roots

Warm Up
Lesson Presentation
Lesson Quiz

Holt
Holt
Holt McDougal
Algebra 2Algebra
McDougal Algebra22
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

Warm Up
Simplify each expression.

1. 2. 3.

Find the zeros of each function.

4. f(x) = x2 – 18x + 16

5. f(x) = x2 + 8x – 24

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

Objectives
Define and use imaginary and complex
numbers.
Solve quadratic equations with
complex roots.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

Vocabulary
imaginary unit
imaginary number
complex number
real part
imaginary part
complex conjugate

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

You can see in the graph of f(x) = x2 + 1 below

that f has no real zeros. If you solve the
corresponding equation 0 = x2 + 1, you find
that x = ,which has no real solutions.

However, you can find solutions if you

define the square root of negative
numbers, which is why imaginary
numbers were invented. The
imaginary unit i is defined
as . You can use the imaginary
unit to write the square root of
any negative number.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 1A: Simplifying Square Roots of Negative
Numbers
Express the number in terms of i.

Factor out –1.

Product Property.

Simplify.

Multiply.
Express in terms of i.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 1B: Simplifying Square Roots of Negative
Numbers
Express the number in terms of i.

Factor out –1.

Product Property.

Simplify.

4 6i  4i 6 Express in terms of i.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 1a

Express the number in terms of i.

Factor out –1.

Product Property.

Product Property.

Simplify.

Express in terms of i.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 1b

Express the number in terms of i.

Factor out –1.

Product Property.

Simplify.

Multiply.

Express in terms of i.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 1c

Express the number in terms of i.

Factor out –1.

Product Property.

Simplify.

Multiply.

Express in terms of i.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 2A: Solving a Quadratic Equation with
Imaginary Solutions
Solve the equation.

Take square roots.

Express in terms of i.
Check
x2 = –144 x2 = –144
(12i)2 –144 (–12i)2 –144
144i 2 –144 144i 2 –144
144(–1) –144  144(–1) –144 

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 2B: Solving a Quadratic Equation with
Imaginary Solutions
Solve the equation.
5x2 + 90 = 0
Add –90 to both sides.

Divide both sides by 5.

Take square roots.

Express in terms of i.

Check 5x2 + 90 = 0
0
5(18)i 2 +90 0
90(–1) +90 0 
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 2a

Solve the equation.

x2 = –36
Take square roots.

Express in terms of i.

Check
x2 = –36 x2 = –36
(6i)2 –36 (–6i)2 –36
36i 2 –36 36i 2 –36
36(–1) –36  36(–1) –36 

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 2b

Solve the equation.

x2 + 48 = 0
x2 = –48 Add –48 to both sides.
Take square roots.

Express in terms of i.

Check x2 + 48 = 0
+ 48 0
(48)i 2 + 48 0
48(–1) + 48 0
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 2c

Solve the equation.

9x2 + 25 = 0

9x2 = –25 Add –25 to both sides.

Divide both sides by 9.

Take square roots.

Express in terms of i.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
A complex number is a
number that can be written
in the form a + bi, where a
and b are real numbers and
i= . The set of real
numbers is a subset of the
set of complex numbers C.

Every complex number has a real part a and an

imaginary part b.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

Real numbers are complex numbers where b = 0.

Imaginary numbers are complex numbers where
a = 0 and b ≠ 0. These are sometimes called pure
imaginary numbers.

Two complex numbers are equal if and only if their

real parts are equal and their imaginary parts are
equal.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 3: Equating Two Complex Numbers
Find the values of x and y that make the equation
4x + 10i = 2 – (4y)i true .
Real parts

4x + 10i = 2 – (4y)i

Imaginary parts

4x = 2 Equate the 10 = –4y Equate the

real parts. imaginary parts.

Solve for x. Solve for y.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 3a
Find the values of x and y that make each
equation true.
2x – 6i = –8 + (20y)i
Real parts

2x – 6i = –8 + (20y)i

Imaginary parts

Equate the –6 = 20y Equate the

2x = –8
real parts. imaginary parts.
x = –4 Solve for x. Solve for y.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 3b
Find the values of x and y that make each
equation true.
–8 + (6y)i = 5x – i 6
Real parts

–8 + (6y)i = 5x – i 6

Imaginary parts
Equate the
–8 = 5x Equate the real
imaginary parts.
parts.

Solve for y.
Solve for x.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 4A: Finding Complex Zeros of Quadratic
Functions

Find the zeros of the function.

f(x) = x2 + 10x + 26
x2 + 10x + 26 = 0 Set equal to 0.
x2 + 10x + = –26 + Rewrite.

x2 + 10x + 25 = –26 + 25 Add to both sides.

(x + 5)2 = –1 Factor.
Take square roots.
Simplify.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Example 4B: Finding Complex Zeros of Quadratic
Functions

Find the zeros of the function.

g(x) = x2 + 4x + 12
x2 + 4x + 12 = 0 Set equal to 0.

x2 + 4x + = –12 + Rewrite.

x2 + 4x + 4 = –12 + 4 Add to both sides.

(x + 2)2 = –8 Factor.

Take square roots.

Simplify.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 4a

Find the zeros of the function.

f(x) = x2 + 4x + 13

x2 + 4x + 13 = 0 Set equal to 0.

x2 + 4x + = –13 + Rewrite.

x2 + 4x + 4 = –13 + 4 Add to both sides.

(x + 2)2 = –9 Factor.
Take square roots.

x = –2 ± 3i Simplify.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 4b

Find the zeros of the function.

g(x) = x2 – 8x + 18
x2 – 8x + 18 = 0 Set equal to 0.

x2 – 8x + = –18 + Rewrite.

x2 – 8x + 16 = –18 + 16 Add to both sides.

Factor.

Take square roots.

Simplify.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

The solutions and are related.

These solutions are a complex conjugate pair.
Their real parts are equal and their imaginary parts
are opposites. The complex conjugate of any
complex number a + bi is the complex number a –
bi.
If a quadratic equation with real coefficients has
nonreal roots, those roots are complex conjugates.

Helpful Hint
When given one complex root, you can always
find the other by finding its conjugate.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots

Example 5: Finding complex conjugate

Find each complex conjugate.

A. 8 + 5i B. 6i

8 + 5i Write as a + bi. 0 + 6i Write as a + bi.

0 – 6i Find a – bi.
8 – 5i Find a – bi.
–6i Simplify.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Check It Out! Example 5

Find each complex conjugate.

A. 9 – i B.
9 + (–i) Write as a + bi. Write as a + bi.

9 – (–i) Find a – bi. Find a – bi.

9+i Simplify.

C. –8i
0 + (–8)i Write as a + bi.
0 – (–8)i Find a – bi.
8i Simplify.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 2-5 Complex Numbers and Roots
Lesson Quiz

1. Express in terms of i.

Solve each equation.

2. 3x2 + 96 = 0 3. x2 + 8x +20 = 0

4. Find the values of x and y that make the

equation 3x +8i = 12 – (12y)i true.

5. Find the complex conjugate of

Holt McDougal Algebra 2