4.

4 De Moivre’s theorem

This section provides an elegant way to simplify powers of complex numbers.

Theorem 4.11 (de Moivre). For all θ ∈ R and n ∈ Z, it holds that

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

Or equivalently
n
eiθ = einθ .

Proof. We may proof de Moivre’s theorem by using the form

n
eiθ = einθ .

We consider 3 cases.

Case 1. For n = 0, we use that

0
r0 eiθ = 1,
since z 0 = 1 for every complex number z by definition. On the other hand,

ei0θ = cos(0θ) + sin(0θ)i = cos 0 + sin 0i = 1 + (0)i = 1.

0
Hence eiθ = ei0θ .

Case 2. For positive integers, we prove the statement by induction making use of the
formula for the product of complex numbers in Euler’s form.

Case 3. For negative integers n observe that m = −n is a positive integer. We then use the
exponential form (determined in Case 2) of the multiplicative inverse of a complex number.

Note. For any z ∈ C, z = |z|eiθ 6= 0, and n ∈ Z we have

z n = |z|n einθ .

Example 4.4.1. Simplify the following to standard form.

π
5
1. 2ei 6 ,

Solution.
π
5 5π
2ei 6 = 25 ei 6
  π  π 
= 32 cos π − + sin π − i
6 6
 π π 
= 32 − cos + sin i
6 ! 6
√
3 1
= 32 − + i
2 2
√
= −16 3 + 16i.

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 π
6
2. 3ei 3 ,

Solution.
π
6 6π
3ei 3 = 36 ei 3
= 729e2πi
= 729(1) (e2nπi = 1 for all n ∈ Z)
= 729.

√
8
3. 2 3 − 2i .

Solution. In Euler’s form, √ π

2 3 − 2i = 4e− 6 i .
Hence
 √ 8 8π
2 3 − 2i = 48 e−i 6
4π
= 48 e−i 3
π
= 48 e−iπ e−i 3
  π  π 
= 48 (−1) cos − + sin − i
 π  3 π   3
= −48 cos − sin i
3 ! 3
√
8 1 3
= −4 − i
2 2
15
 √ 
= −2 1 − 3i
√
= −32768 + 32768 3i.

Tutorial 4.4.1. 1. Is (1 + i)8 a real number? Justify your anwser.

2. Raise cos θ + sin θi to the fourth power by using de Moivre’s theorem. Now find the
fourth power of the binomial cos θ + sin θi by expansion using the binomial theorem. Equate
the real and imaginary parts of the two complex numbers. What identity have you discovered
for cos 4θ and for sin 4θ?

3. Use de Moivre’s formula to find the following

(a) (1 + i)12 ;
 −6
1 1
(b) √ − √ i ;
2 2
√
7
(c) 3+i ;
√
−10
(d) 1 − 3i .

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