The Complex Exponential Function

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The Complex Exponential Function

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The Complex Exponential Function

Polar Representations of Complex Numbers and the Exponential
Function

In calculus we are first introduced to the real exponential function f(x)=ex which is defined for all x∈R and whose range is (0,∞). The graph of f
is given below.

We would now like to extend this function to allow inputs of all complex numbers (and not just real numbers), i.e., we would like to define the
complex exponential function f(z)=ez for all z∈C. For an idea of how to do this, first recall the following Maclaurin series representation for the
functions cosx and sinx:

(1)
cosx=∑n=0∞(−1)nx2n(2n)!=1−x22!+x44!−x66!+...

(2)
sinx=∑n=0∞(−1)nx2n+1(2n+1)!=x−x33!+x55!−x77!+...

These series converge to cosx and sinx respectively for all x∈R. Now, the Maclaurin series representation for the real-valued function ex is:

(3)
ex=∑n=0∞xnn!=1+x+x22!+x33!+x44!+...

This series also converges to ex for all x∈R. Now let z=x+yi. Then a reasonable definition for allowing imaginary number inputs yi would be:

(4)
eyi=∑n=0∞(yi)nn!=1+yi+(yi)22!+(yi)33!+(yi)44!+...=1+yi−y22!−y33!i+y44!+y55!i+...=(1−y22!+y44!−y66!+...)+(y−y33!+y55!−y77!+...)i=cosy+isiny

Since y∈R, eyi is well defined for each imaginary number yi. We will take this to be the definition of eyi even though we have not yet shown the
convergence of the complex Maclaurin series above. Now, for a more general complex number z=x+yi we would like for the usual rules of
exponents to hold, i.e., we would like ez=ex+yi=ex⋅eyi for all z∈C. We formally define this rule below.

Definition: The Complex Exponential Function is defined for all z=x+yi∈C by

ez=ex+yi=ex⋅eyi=ex(cosy+isiny).

The values of ez have a nice geometric interpretation. If z=x+yi then the modulus of the complex number f(z)=ez is simply ex, and the argument
of f(z)=ez is y. Notice that if z∈R then y=0 and ez=ex+0i=ex which is the real-valued exponential function.

Polar Representations of Complex Numbers and the Exponential Function

Recall that if z∈C is a nonzero complex number then z has a polar representation z=r(cosθ+isinθ) where θ=arg(z) is the angle made between z
and the positive real axis and r=∣z∣.

Since earg(z)i=eiθ=(cosθ+isinθ) we see that:

(5)
z=r(cosθ+isinθ)=reiθ

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