COMPLEX NUMBERS:

DE MOIVRES THEOREM,
POWERS, & ROOTS
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS
ECE50

Number systems
The natural numbers . These numbers are the
positive (and zero) whole numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
. If two such numbers are added or multiplied,
the result is again a natural number.
The integers . These numbers are the positive
and negative whole numbers , 5, 4, 3, 2,
1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, . If two such numbers are
added, subtracted, or multiplied, the result is
again an integer.
The rational numbers . These numbers are
the positive and negative fractions p/q where p
and q are integers and q0. If two such
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numbers are added, subtracted, multiplied, or

 The real numbers . These numbers are the

positive and negative infinite decimals (including
terminating decimals that can be considered as
having an infinite sequence of zeros on the end). If
two such numbers are added, subtracted,
multiplied, or divided (except by 0), the result is
again a real number.
The complex numbers . These numbers are of
the form x + iy where x and y are real numbers
and i = (1) . (For further explanation, see the
section Complex analysis.) If two such numbers are
added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided (except
by 0), the result is again a complex number.

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Complex Analysis
In the 18th century a far-reaching generalization of analysis was
discovered, centred on the so called imaginary number i=(1) .
In engineering this number is usually denoted by j.
The name imaginary arises because squares of real numbers are
always positive. In consequence, positive numbers have two
distinct square rootsone positive, one negative. Zero has a
single square rootnamely, zero. And negative numbers have
no real square roots at all.
The resulting objects (imaginary numbers) are NUMBERS in the
sense that arithmetic and algebra can be extended to them in a
simple and natural manner; they are IMAGINARY in the sense that
their relation to the physical world is less direct than that of the real
numbers. Numbers formed by combining real and imaginary
components, such as 2+3i, are said to be COMPLEX (meaning
composed of several parts rather than complicated).
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Formal definition of Complex Numbers

The modern approach is to define a complex
number x+iy as a pair of real numbers (x,y)
subject to certain algebraic operations.
Thus one wishes to add or subtract, (a, b) (c,
d), and to multiply, (a, b) (c, d), or divide, (a,
b)/(c, d), these quantities.
This is a formal way to set up a situation which, in
effect, ensures that one may operate with
expressions x+iy using all the standard
algebraic rules but recalling when necessary that
i2 may be replaced by 1. For example,
(1+3i)2=12+23i+(3i)2=1+6i+9i2=1
+6i9=8+6i
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Real numbers can be described by a single

Powers and Roots of Complex

Numbers
Powers of Complex numbers
[r (cos i sin )]2 [r (cos i sin )r (cos i sin )]
r r[cos( ) i sin( )]
r 2 (cos 2 i sin 2 )
In the same way,
[r (cos i sin )]3 r 3 (cos 3 i sin 3 )

De Moivres Theorem

De Moivres Theorem
If r(cos + i sin ) is a complex number,
and n is any real number, then
[r (cos i sin )]n r n (cos n i sin n ).
In compact form, this is written
[r cis ]n r n (cis n ).

Finding a Power of a Complex

Number
ExampleFind(1 i 3)
result in
rectangular form.
8

and express the

(Solution
1 i 3)8 [2(cos 60 i sin 60 )]8
2 [cos(8 60 ) i sin(8 60 )]
8

Convert to
trigonometric
form.

256(cos 480 i sin 480 )

256(cos120 i sin 120 )
3
1
256 i
2
2
128 128i 3

480 and 120

are coterminal.
cos120 =
3/2
-1/2;
sin120 =
Rectangular form

Roots of Complex Numbers

nth Root
For a positive integer n, the complex
number a+bi is the nth of the complex
number x + yi if
(a + bi)n = x + yi.
To find three complex cube roots of
8(cos 135 + i sin 135 ), for example, look
for a complex number, say r(cos + sin
), that will satisfy
[r (cos i sin )]3 8(cos135 i sin 135 ).

Roots of Complex Numbers

By De Moivres Theorem,
[r (cos i sin )]3 8(cos135 i sin 135 ).
becomes
r 3 (cos 3 i sin 3 ) 8(cos135 i sin 135 ).
Therefore, we must have r3 = 8, or r = 2,
and
3 135 360 k , k any integer
135 360 k

, k any integer.
3

Roots of Complex Numbers

Let k take on integer values 0, 1, and 2.
135 0

k 0,
45
3
135 360
k 1,
165
3
135 720

k 2,
285
3
It can be shown that for integers k = 3, 4, and 5,
these
values have repeating solutions. Therefore, all of
the cube roots
(three of them) can be found by letting k = 0, 1, and
2.

Roots of Complex Numbers

When k = 0, the root is
When k = 1, the root is
When k = 2, the root is

2(cos 45 + i sin 45).

2(cos 165 + i sin 165).
2(cos 285 + i sin 285).

nth Root Theorem

If n is any positive integer, r is a positive real
number, and is in degrees, then the nonzero
complex number r(cos + i sin ) has exactly n
distinct nth roots, given
by
n
r (cos i sin ),
where 360 k

360 k
or
, k 0,1, 2, , n 1
n
n

Finding Complex Roots

ExampleFind the two square roots of 4i.
Write the
roots in rectangular form, and check
your
results directly with a calculator.

i 4 cos
trigonometric
i sin .
Solution First4write
4i
in
form
2
2

as
42
2 k
=/2. The
square
k
Here, r = 4 and
roots
2
2
4
have modulus

Finding Complex Roots

Since there are two roots, let k = 0 and 1.

If k = 0, then
0 .
4
4
If k = 1, then

5
1 .
4
4

Using these values for , the

square roots are 24 cis and
2 cis54 , which can be written
in rectangular form as
2 i 2 and 2 i 2.

Finding Complex Roots

8of
i8 3.
Example Find all fourth roots
the roots in
rectangular form.
8 i8 3 16 cis 120
Solution
r 16 and 120

Write

Modulus 4 16 2
120 360 k
Arguments

30 90 k
4
4

If
If
If
If

k
k
k
k

=
=
=
=

0,
1,
2,
3,

then
then
then
then

=
=
=
=

30
30
30
30

+
+
+
+

900
901
902
903

=
=
=
=

30.
120.
210.
300.

Finding Complex Roots

Using these angles on the previous slide, the
fourth
roots are
2 cis 30, 2 cis 120, 2 cis 210, and 2 cis
300.
i, 1can
i 3be
, written
3 i, 1 in
i 3.
These four3roots
rectangular form as

Solving an Equation by Finding

Complex Roots
ExampleFind all complex number solutions
of
x5 1 = 0. Graph them as vectors in the
complex plane.
5
Solution Write thexequation
as
1 0
x 1.
5

To find the five complex number solutions,

write 1 in1 1 0i 1(cos 0 i sin 0 ).

polar form as
5
1 1.
The modulus of the fifth roots is

Solving an Equation by Finding

Complex Roots

The arguments are given by

0 72 k , k 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4.
Using these arguments, the fifth roots are
1(cos
1(cos
1(cos
1(cos
1(cos

0 + i sin 0),
k
72 + i sin 72), k
144 + i sin 144),k
216 + i sin 216),k
288 + i sin 288),k

=
=
=
=
=

0
1
2
3
4

References:
1. Advanced Engineering Mathematics by
Kreyszig
2. A Graphical Approach to Algebra &
Trigonometry by Hornsby, et. al.
3. Encyclopedia Britannica: Ultimate
Reference Suite

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