Complex Numbers

and

i is the imaginary unit

Numbers in the form a + bi are called complex numbers

 a is the real part
 b is the imaginary part
Examples
a) b)

c)

d) e)
Example: Solving Quadratic Equations
Solve x = √-25
Take the square root on both sides.

The solution set is {±5i}.

Another Example
Solve: x2 + 54 = 0

The solution set is

Example: Products and Quotients
 Multiply:  Divide:
Addition and Subtraction of Complex Numbers

For complex numbers a + bi and c + di,

Examples
(4 − 6i) + (−3 + 7i) (10 − 4i) − (5 − 2i)
= [4 + (−3)] + [−6 + 7]i = (10 − 5) + [−4 − (−2)]i
=1+i = 5 − 2i
Multiplication of Complex Numbers
For complex numbers a + bi and c + di,

The product of two complex numbers is found by

multiplying as if the numbers were binomials and using
the fact that i2 = −1.
 Examples: Multiplying
(2 − 4i)(3 + 5i) (7 + 3i)2
 Powers of i
i1 = i i5 = i i9 = i

i2 = −1 i6 = −1 i10 = −1

i3 = −i i7 = −i i11 = −i

i4 = 1 i8 = 1 i12 = 1
and so on.
 Simplifying Examples
i17 i−4

i4 = 1

i17 = (i4)4 • i
= 1•i
=i
Property of Complex Conjugates
For real numbers a and b, Example
(a + bi)(a − bi) = a2 + b2.

The product of a complex

number and its conjugate is
always a real number.
Relationships Among x, y, r, and θ
 Trigonometric (Polar) Form of a
Complex Number
The expression

is called the trigonometric form or (polar form) of the

complex number x + yi. The expression
cos θ + i sin θ is sometimes abbreviated cis θ.

Using this notation

 Example
Express 2(cos 120° + i sin 120°) in rectangular form.

Notice that the real part is negative and the imaginary part is
positive, this is consistent with 120 degrees being a quadrant II
angle.
 Converting from Rectangular Form to
Trigonometric Form
Step 1 Sketch a graph of the number x + yi in
the complex plane.

Step 2 Find r by using the equation

Step 3 Find θ by using the equation

choosing the quadrant
indicated in Step 1.
Example
Example: Find trigonometric notation for −1 − i.
First, find r.

Thus,
Product Theorem
 If are any two
complex numbers, then

 In compact form, this is written

Example: Product
 Find the product of
 Quotient Theorem
 If
are any two complex numbers, where then
 Example: Quotient
 Find the quotient.
 De Moivre’s Theorem
 If is a complex number, and if n is
any real number, then

 In compact form, this is written

Example: Find (−1 − i)5 and express the result in
rectangular form.

 First, find trigonometric notation for −1 − i

 Theorem
 nth Roots
 For a positive integer n, the complex number
a + bi is an nth root of the complex number x + yi if
 nth Root Theorem
 If n is any positive integer, r is a positive real number,
and θ is in degrees, then the nonzero complex number
r(cos θ + i sin θ) has exactly n distinct nth roots, given
by

where
Example: Square Roots
 Example: Fourth Root
 Find all fourth roots of Write the roots in
rectangular form.
 Write in trigonometric form.

 Here r = 16 and θ = 120°. The fourth roots of this

number have absolute value
 Example: Fourth Root continued
 There are four fourth roots, let k = 0, 1, 2 and 3.

 Using these angles, the fourth roots are

 Example: Fourth Root continued
 Written in rectangular form

 The graphs of the roots are

all on a circle that has center
at the origin and radius 2.
 Polar Coordinate System
 The polar coordinate system
is based on a point, called
the pole, and a ray, called
the polar axis.
 Rectangular and Polar Coordinates
 If a point has rectangular coordinates (x, y) and polar
coordinates (r, θ), then these coordinates are related as
follows.
 Example
 Plot the point on a polar
coordinate system. Then
determine the rectangular
coordinates of the point.
 P(2, 30°)
 r = 2 and θ = 30°, so point P
is located 2 units from the
origin in the positive
direction making a 30° angle
with the polar axis.
 Example continued
 Using the conversion formulas:

 The rectangular coordinates are

 Example
 Convert (4, 2) to polar coordinates.
The following slides are extension work for
Complex Numbers …..
Rectangular and Polar Equations
 To convert a rectangular equation into a polar
equation, use

and
and solve for r.

For the linear equation

you will get the polar equation

 Example
 Convert x + 2y = 10 into a polar equation.
x + 2y = 10
 Example
 Graph r = −2 sin θ
θ r θ r
0 0 135 -1.414
30 -1 150 -1
45 -1.414 180 0
60 -1.732 270 2
90 -2 315 1.414
120 -1.732 330 1
 Example
 Graph r = 2 cos 3θ

θ 0 15 30 45 60 75 90

r 2 1.41 0 −1.41 −2 −1.41 0

 Example
 Convert r = −3 cos θ − sin θ into a rectangular
equation.

Circles and Lemniscates
Limacons
Rose Curves