Complex

Numbers 2
 Multiplying by i geometrically means
rotating the defining line through 90°
anticlockwise about the origin of an
Argand diagram

To convince yourself, think about how

number 2 on the real axis can move to
2i on the imaginary axis, and then to –2
on the real axis, etc, etc.
Multiplying by i geometrically means
rotating the defining line through 90°
anticlockwise about the origin of an
Argand diagram

Know i2 = –1

Hence, i3 = –i, i4 = 1, etc.

Polar Form
Can write non-zero complex numbers
in polar form z = r

r and  are the polar co-ordinates of

the point (x, y) corresponding to
complex number z = x + iy
Can write non-zero complex numbers
in polar form z = r

r is the modulus, or magnitude, of z

2 2 Think about this

r z  x y – this is really
just
Pythagoras...
 is the argument of z, arg(z), where
it is conventional to take

 180    180

     

 is the angle the line, representing z

on the Argand diagram, makes with
the positive real axis
 is the argument of z, arg(z), where
it is conventional to take

 180    180

     

Positive  is measured anticlockwise,

negative  clockwise
  is the argument of z, arg(z)

 x  r cos  y
 tan  
 y  r sin  x

This is just standard trigonometry, but

take care to get the right quadrant
z  x  iy  r  r cos   isin  

Sometimes you may see

z = r cis()
 Convert z = –3 + 9i to polar form

2
  2
r  3  9  9  81  90  9.49

x is negative, and y is positive, so this

number is in the second quadrant of
the Argand diagram
9
tan    3
3
 Convert z = –3 + 9i to polar form

2
  2
r  3  9  9  81  90  9.49

tan   3 First quadrant angle is

θ = 71.6°

tan    3 Second quadrant angle

is θ = 108.4°
 Convert z = –3 + 9i to polar form
Calculation in
degrees – make
2
r  3   92  9  81sure
 your
90  9.49
calculator is set
θ = 108.4°correctly

z = 9.49108.4°
 Convert z = –3 + 9i to polar form
Calculation in
radians – make
2
r  3   92  9  81 sure
 your
90  9.49
calculator is set
θ = 1.893 correctly

z = 9.491.893
 Convert z = 3 – 9i to polar form

2
r  3   9   9  81  90  9.49
2

x is positive, and y is negative, so this

number is in the fourth quadrant of
the Argand diagram
9
tan    3
3
 Convert z = 3 – 9i to polar form
But remember
2
r  3   9   9 the
2
 81angle
 90  9.49
should
be stated
tan   3 First between
quadrant –180°
angle is
and 180°...
θ = 71.6°

tan    3 Fourth quadrant angle

is θ = 288.4°
 Convert z = 3 – 9i to polar form

2
r  3   9   9  81  90  9.49
2

Have subtracted
tan   3 First quadrant angle is
360°
θ = 71.6°

tan    3 Fourth quadrant angle

is θ = –71.6°
 Convert z = 3 – 9i to polar form

2
r  3   9   9  81  90  9.49
2

θ = –71.6°

z = 9.49–71.6°
Convert z = 2–50° to rectangular form
Remember to set the angle mode on
your calculator correctly

 x  r cos   x  2cos  50  

 
 y  r sin   y  2sin  50  
 x  1.286

 y   1.532
Convert z = 2–50° to rectangular form
Remember to set the angle mode on
your calculator correctly

 x  r cos   x  2cos  50  

 
 y  r sin   y  2sin  50  

z = 1.286 – 1.532i
Some arithmetic with complex numbers in
polar form is possible

We can...
• take conjugates easily
• multiply/divide easily

We cannot...
• add/subtract – this MUST be done
in rectangular form
We can...
• take conjugates easily

z = r z  r  

Show complex number z = 2 −70°

and its conjugate on an Argand
diagram

z  270
conjugate of z

z
We can...
• multiply easily

Let z = r and w = R be two

complex numbers in polar form
zw = (rR) ( + )
Multiply magnitudes, add arguments,
adjust final argument if necessary
For z = 0.480° and w = 6–140°
obtain zw

z × w = (0.4 × 6) (80° + (–140°))

zw = 2.4–60°

No final adjustment of the argument

necessary
 We can...
• divide easily

Let z = r and w = R be two

complex numbers in polar form
z r 
       
w R

Divide magnitudes, subtract arguments,

adjust final argument if necessary
For z = 0.480° and w = 6–140°
obtain
w 6  140

z 0.480
w  6 
    140  80   15  220
z  0.4 

Adjustment of the w
 15140
argument necessary, z
add 360°
We can also calculate powers easily

Let z = r be a complex number in

polar form

zn = (rn) (n)

Raise the magnitude to the power,

multiply the argument by the power,
quite likely adjust final argument
 For z = 0.480° obtain z3

z3 = 0.43(3 × 80°)

z3 = 0.064240°

Adjustment of the
argument necessary, z3 = 0.064–120°
subtract 360°
For w = 6–140° obtain –5w2

–5w2 = (5180°) × (36–280°)

–5w2 = 180–100°

Adjustment of the argument not

necessary
 z = r = r(cos + isin)

zn = rn(n) = rn(cosn + isinn)

Integer n

This is de Moivre’s Theorem

 For z = 0.25110° obtain z–2

z–2 = 0.25–2(–2 × 110°)

z-2 = 16–220°

Adjustment of the
argument necessary, z–2 = 16140°
add 360°
Summary – Polar Form
• all complex numbers can be displayed
on an Argand diagram
• The conjugate of a complex number just
changes the sign of the argument, and
is shown by reflection in the real axis of
the Argand diagram,
• Multiplication, division and powers can
be done in polar form, addition and
subtraction cannot
Roots of a
Complex
Number
 We can
• obtain square roots of a complex number

Let w = rθ be a complex number in

polar form
1/2 1/2 1 
w r  
2 
Take the usual real square root of the
modulus, and divide the argument by 2
We can…
• solve the equation z2 = w

Let w = rθ be a complex number in

polar form
1/2 1/2 1 
zw r  
2 

We expect two solutions??

We can…
• solve the equation z2 = w

Note w = rθ = r(θ + 360°)

1/2 1 
zr     180 
2 

Two solutions
We can…
• solve the equation z2 = w

Alternatively w = rθ = r(θ – 360°)

1/2 1 
zr     180 
2 

Two solutions
We can…
• obtain two square roots of a complex number

Let w = rθ be a complex number in

polar form
1/2 1/2 1 
w r  
2 
This is the principal root
 We can…
• obtain two square roots of a complex number

Let w = rθ be a complex number in

polar form
1/2 1/2 1 
w r     180 
2 
One of these is the second square root
separated by 180°
 We can…
• obtain two square roots of a complex number

Or

1/2 1/2 1 
w r    
2 

One of these is the second square root

separated by π
Obtain the two square roots of w = 1642°

1/2 1/2 1 
w  16    42   421
2 

Principal root
Argument of other root 180° apart
4  159
 We can…
• obtain nth roots of a complex number

Let w = rθ be a complex number in

polar form
1/n 1/n 1 
w  r  
n 
Take the usual real nth root of the
modulus, and divide the argument by n
We can…
• obtain nth roots of a complex number

Let w = rθ be a complex number in

polar form
1/n 1/n 1 
w  r  
n 
This is the principal root
Let w = rθ be a complex number in
polar form
1/n 1/n 1 
w  r  
n 
This is the principal root
Other roots have arguments separated
by
360 2
n n
Let w = rθ be a complex number in
polar form

w has n roots in total

Find the principal root first

Add/subtract the separation angle until

you have all the others
Obtain the cube roots of w = 125–126°

1/3 1/3 1 
w  125    126   5  42
3 
Principal root
Argument of other roots 120° apart
Obtain the cube roots of w = 125–126°

Other roots

5  42  120   5  162

5  42  120   578

 Solve z4 = 5 + 7i

This will have four solutions

These are the fourth roots of w = 5 + 7i

First convert to polar form

 Solve z4 = √740.9505

Solution corresponding to the principal

root
1
  
1/ 4
z  74    0.9505 
4 
 1.71260.2376
Solve z4 = √740.9505

Principal solution
z  1.71260.2376

Others have arguments separated by

2 

4 2
Solve z4 = √740.9505

Principal solution
z  1.71260.2376

Other solutions
 
z  1.7126  0.2376  
 2
 1.71261.8084
Solve z4 = √740.9505

Principal solution
z  1.71260.2376

Other solutions
 
z  1.7126  0.2376  
 2
 1.7126  1.3332
Solve z4 = √740.9505

Principal solution
z  1.71260.2376

Other solutions

z  1.7126 0.2376   
 1.7126  2.9040
Solve z4 = √740.9505

z  1.71260.2376
z  1.71261.8084
z  1.7126  1.3332
z  1.7126  2.9040

All solutions (roots) have the same

modulus
Let w = rθ be a complex number in
polar form

w has n roots in total

All roots have the same modulus and
lie on a circle centre 0 in the Argand
diagram
Arguments are separated uniformly
round the circle
Exponential
Form
 Can write complex numbers in
exponential form z = rei

ei = cos + isin

Some software packages use this as

polar form
 z = r = rei

zn = rn(n) = rnein

Integer n

de Moivre’s Theorem