Complex numbers

There is no number which squares to

What is 1?
make -1, so there is no ‘real’ answer!

Mathematicians have realised that by defining the imaginary number i   1 ,

many previously unsolvable problems could be understood and explored.

If i   1 , what is:

i 2  1 i 3  i i 4 1

 4 2i  100 10i  3  3i

A number with both a real part and an imaginary one is called a complex number

Eg z 2  3i The imaginary part

of z, called Im z is 3

Complex numbers are often A complex number in the

The real part of z,
referred to as z, whereas real
called Re z is 2 form z  x  iy is said
numbers are often referred to as x
to be in Cartesian form
 Manipulation with complex numbers
Techniques used with real numbers can still be applied with complex numbers:

WB1 z = 5 – 3i, w = 2 + 2i

Express in the form a + bi, where a and b are real constants,

z
(a) z2 (b)
w
a) z 5  3i  25  30i  9 16  30i
2 2
Expand & simplify as usual,
remembering that i2 = 1

z 5  3i 2  2i 10  10i  6i  6 4  16i  1  2i
b)     2
w 2  2i 2  2i 44 8

An equivalent complex number with a real If z  x  iy then

denominator can be found by multiplying by its complex conjugate
the complex conjugate of the denominator is z*  x  iy
 Modulus and argument
The complex number z  x  iy Im
can be represented on an Argand z 3  2,2
diagram by the coordinates x, y  
z1 1, 3 
z3 z1
Eg z1 1  3i Eg z 2 2  i Eg z 3  2  2i
arg z 3
 3 1
2 Re
2 2
The modulus of z, z  x y z2

2
z 2 2, 1
Eg z1  12  3 2
Eg z 2  2 2  12  5 The principal argument arg z 
is the angle from the positive real axis
Eg z 3  2 2  2 2 2 2 to z x, y  in the range     

2  3
 1 tan 1
 3  3 
 arg z1 
3
 3 tan  1     arg z 3 
 2 4 4 1
 2 tan  1  0.463...
Remember the definition of arg z  2
 arg z2  0.46 (2dp)
 WB2 The complex numbers z1 and z2 are given by z1 2  8i 1 i
 
z1 2  8i z2 1 i z2 1 i 1 i

Find, showing your working, 2  2i  8i  8


z1 1 1
(a) in the form a + bi, where a and b are real,
z2  6  10i
  3  5i
2
z1
  3  5i   3   5 2  34
2
(b) the value of
z2

The modulus of z  x  iy is z  x2  y2
z1
(c) the value of arg , giving your answer in radians to 2 decimal places.
z2
Im The principal argument arg z 
 3,5 is the angle from the positive real axis
to z x, y  in the range     
5
  tan  1  1.03 arg z    2.11
Re 3
WB3 z = 2 – 3i
z 2 2  3i  4  6i  6i  9  5  12i
2
(a) Show that z2 = −5 −12i.

Find, showing your working,

z 2   5  12i   5    12 13
2 2
(b) the value of z2,

(c) the value of arg (z2), giving your answer in radians to 2 decimal places.
Im
 12 
 tan  1  1.176...
 5
 Re
arg z       1.97

(d) Show z and z2 on a single Argand diagram.

 5, 12
Im

Re
z
z2
 Complex roots
In C1, you saw quadratic equations that had no roots.

2 Quadratic formula
Eg x  4 x  13 0 2  b  b 2  4ac
If ax  bx  c 0 then x 
2a
We can obtain
4   4   4 113
2
4   36 4 6i
x   2 3i complex roots
2 1 2 2 though

We get no real answers because We could also obtain these roots

the discriminant is less than zero by completing the square:

This tells us the curve x 2  4 x  13 0

y  x 2  4 x  13
 x  2  4  13 0
2

will have no
 x  2  9
2
intersections with
the x-axis
 x  2 3i
 x 2 3i
 WB4 z1 = − 2 + i
 2  i   22  12  5
(a) Find the modulus of z1

(b) Find, in radians, the argument of z1 , giving your answer to 2 decimal places.

Im  1
1
 2,1  tan   0.463...
 2
arg z    2.68

Re
The solutions to the quadratic equation z2 − 10z + 28 = 0 are z2 and z3
(c) Find z2 and z3 , giving your answers in the form p  iq, where p and q are integers.

z 2  10 z  28 0 (d) Show, on an Argand diagram, the

points representing your complex numbers
 z  5   25  28 0
2
Im
 z  5   3
2

Re
 z  5 i 3
 z 5 i 3
 WB6 f x   x 3  x 2  44 x  150
 
Given that f x  x  3  x  ax  b , where a and b are real constants,
2

(a) find the value of a and the value of b.

x  3x 2  ax  b  x 3  ax 2  bx  3 x 2  3ax  3b
 x 3  a  3 x 2  b  3a x  3b
Comparing coefficients of x2  a  2

Comparing coefficients of x0  b 50

(b) Find the three roots of f(x) = 0. f x  x  3 x 2  2 x  50  0

either x  3 0  x  3
2
(c) Find the sum of the or x  2 x  50 0
 x  1  1 50 0
2
three roots of f (x) = 0.

 x  1  49
2
1 7i  1 7i   3
 x  1 7i
So sum of the three roots is -1
 x 17i
 Problem solving with roots
In C2 you met the Factor Theorem: If a is a root of f(x)
then ( x  a ) is a factor

2
Eg Given that x = 3 is a root of the equation x ax  b 0 , x  3
(a) write down a factor of the equation,

(b) Given that x = -2 is the other root, find the values of a and b
 x  2 is the other factor
 x  3 x  2 is the equation factorised
 x 2  x  6 0 expanding
 a  1, b  6

In FP1 you apply this method to complex roots…

 Problem solving with complex roots
We have seen that complex 2
Eg x  4 x  13 0  x 2 3i
roots come in pairs:

This leads to the logical conclusion that if a complex number

z  x  iy is a root of an equation, then so is its conjugate z*  x  iy

We can use this fact to find real quadratic factors of equations:

WB5 Given that 2 – 4i is a root of the equation z2 + pz + q = 0,

where p and q are real constants, 2  4i
(a) write down the other root of the equation,

(b) find the value of p and the value of q.

z  2  4i z  2  4i  0 Factor theorem:

If a is a root of f(x)
 z 2  2  4i z  2  4i z  2  4i 2  4i  0 then ( x  a ) is a factor
 z 2  2 z  4iz  2 z  4iz  4  8i  8i  16i 2 0
 z 2  4 z  20 0  p  4, q 20
 WB7 Given that 2 and 5 + 2i are roots of the equation

x 3  12 x 2  cx  d 0 c, d  R
(a) write down the other complex root of the equation.

5  2i
(b) Find the value of c and the value of d.

x  5  2i x  5  2i 
 x 2  5  2i x  5  2i x  5  2i 5  2i 
 x 2  5 x  2ix  5 x  2ix  25  10i  10i  10i 2
 x 2  10 x  35 (c) Show the three roots of this
equation on a single Argand diagram.
x 2
 10 x  35 x  2 Im
 x 3  2 x 2  10 x 2  20 x  35 x  70
 x 3  12 x 2  55 x  70 Re
 c 5, d  70
Problem solving by equating real & imaginary parts
Eg Given that 3  5i a  ib 1 i  a  ib 1 i  a  ai  bi  b
where a and b are real, find their values a  b  a  b i
Equating real parts:  a  b 3 (1)
Equating imaginary parts:  a  b 5 (2)
(1)  (2)  2a 8  a 4
Sub in (2)  4  b 5  b 1
 WB8 Given that z = x + iy, find the value of x and the value of y such that
z + 3iz* = −1 + 13i
where z* is the complex conjugate of z.

z  x  iy  z*  x  iy

then z  3iz*  x  iy  3i x  iy 

 x  iy  3ix  3 y
x  3 y  y  3 x i

Equating real parts:  x  3 y  1 (1)

Equating imaginary parts:  y  3 x 13 (2)

(1) 3  3 x  9 y  3 (3)

(3)  (2)  8 y  16  y  2
Sub in (1)  x  6  1  x 5
 Eg Find the square roots of 3 – 4i in the form a + ib, where a and b are real

a  ib 2 a 2  2abi  b 2 a 2  b 2  2ab i

Equating real parts:  a 2  b 2 3 (1)

Equating imaginary parts:  2ab  4 (2)

(2)  a  b2
sub in (1)  4
b2
 b 2 3

 4  b 4 3b 2
 b 4  3b 2  4 0
 b 2  1b 2  4  0
 b 1 as b real
sub in (2)  a 2

Square roots are -2 + i and 2 - i

 Eg Find the roots of x4 + 9 = 0  x 2 3i

a  ib 2 a 2  2abi  b 2 a 2  b 2  2ab i

Equating real parts:  a 2  b 2 0 (1)

Equating imaginary parts:  2ab 3 (2)

(2)  a 23b
sub in (1)  9
4b2
 b 2 0

 9  4b 4 0
 b 4  94
 b  3
2

sub in (2)  a  3
3
2 2

Roots are
2
3
3
i 3
2 , 2
3
3
i 3
2 ,  3
3
i 3
2 ,  3
3
i 3
2
2 2 2 2
2 2
Modulus-argument form of a complex number
2 2 Im
r z  x  y z x, y 
If z  x  iy and
 arg z
then z r cos   ir sin 
r
y r sin 
 z r cos   i sin  
known as the modulus-argument
form of a complex number 
x r cos  Re

Eg express z 2  i in the form Eg express z  2 cos 3

4
 i sin  3
4

z r cos   i sin   in the form z  x  iy
From previously, x r cos  y r sin 
  2 cos 3
  2 sin  3

r  5 and   4 4
6  1  1
so z  5 cos 
6
  i sin  
6
  z  1 i
 The modulus & argument of a product
It can be shown that: It can also be shown that:

z1 z 2  z1 z 2 arg z1 z 2  arg z1   arg z 2 

Eg if z1 2  i and z 2 1  3i Eg if z1 2  i and z 2 1  3i

z1 z 2  z1 z 2  2 2  12  12  3 2
 tan  1 21  0.46...
Im

 5  10 5 2 z1

arg z1  0.46...
Re
This is easier than   tan  1 31  0.32...
evaluating z1z2 and then z2
finding the modulus… arg z2  2   
 1.24...
z1z2 2  i 1 3i  2  6i  i  3 5  5i
arg z1z2  0.46...   1.24...
z1z2  5  5i  5   5   50 5 2
2 2
 
4
 The modulus & argument of a quotient
It can be shown that: It can also be shown that:

z1 z1  z1 
 arg  arg z1   arg z 2 
z2 z2  z2 
Eg if z1 2  i and z 2 1  3i Eg if z1 2  i and z 2 1  3i

z1 z1 5 From previously,
1
  
arg z1 0.46...
z2 z2 10 2
arg z2  1.24...
This is much easier than
z
evaluating z21 and then arg  0.46...   1.24...
z1
z2
finding the modulus…
1.71...
z1 2  i 1 3i 2  6i  i  3
    1
 107 i
z2 1 3i 1 3i 1 9 10

z1
z2  1
10  107 i   10
  107 2 
1 2 50
100
 1
2
 WB9 z = – 24 – 7i Im
(a) Show z on an Argand diagram.  7 
1
 tan   0.283...
(b) Calculate arg z, giving your answer
 24 
in radians to 2 decimal places.
arg z     

Re
 24, 7
 2.86
It is given that w = a + bi, a  ℝ, b  ℝ. Modulus-argument form
Given also that w 4 and arg w  56 z r cos   i sin  
where r  z
(c) find the values of a and b
and  arg z
w 4cos 56  i sin 56   2 3  2i

(d) find the value of zw

z1 z 2  z1 z 2 zw  z w 25 4 100

z   24    7  25
2 2

w 4 given
 Complex numbers Using: z 5  3i w 2  2i

Manipulation with z 5  3i 2  2i 10  10i  6i  6 4  16i

     21  2i
complex numbers w 2  2i 2  2i 44 8
z1 z
Modulus and argument Im Also z1 z 2  z1 z 2  z21
 tan  1 35 
z2

z  5 2   3 2  34 
arg z1 z 2  arg z1   arg z 2 
Re
arg z  z arg  argz  argz 
z1
z2 1 2

2
Complex roots w is a root of z  az  b . Find the values of a and b

z  2  2i z  2  2i  z 2  z 2  2i  2  2i z  2  2i 2  2i 
 z 2  2 z  2iz  2 z  2iz  4  4i  4i  4
z 2  4 z  8
Equating real & imaginary parts wz*  p  qi Find the values of p and q

wz* 2  2i 5  3i  4  16i

Equating real parts:  p 4
Equating imaginary parts:  q 16