Chapter 1, Exercise 5, p 46

ab

b a

O
1

Figure 1:

Here we want to show how figure 1 can be used to construct the product of
two complex numbers, a and b.
As explained in section I paragraph 5 of chapter 1 of the book (page 8),
multiplication by a complex number can be viewed as a rotation of the
complex plane about the origin followed by an expansion or contraction.

If we draw a straight line between the origin and the complex number a,
and then draw another line from a to the point 1 on the real axis, we obtain
the lower triangle in the diagram.

If we now rotate and contract the complex plane so that the point z = 1
becomes the point b then we have the upper triangle in the diagram and
the two marked angles in each triangle are the same, so the triangles are
similar, and the point ab is the product of the points a and b.

So, to construct this product ab, draw a straight line between the origin
and the complex number b. Measure each of the two marked angles in the
lower triangle and draw a line through O at the measured angle to the line
Ob and another line through b at the other measured angle to the line Ob,
and where these two lines intersect is the point ab.