2.

2 The set of complex numbers

Definition 2.12
The set of complex numbers is denoted by ℂ and is
described by ℂ={z| z= x+iy, x, y∈ℜ and i2=-1 }
From the expression z = x+iy,
x is called the real part and is denoted by Re(Z).
y is called the imaginary part and is denoted by Im(Z).
Note: If x = 0, the number is called purely imaginary and if y
= 0, the number is called purely real. Complex numbers
can be defined as an order pair (x, y) of real numbers that
can be interpreted as points in the complex plane
(z- plane) with coordinates x and y.
Example 2.43:Find the real and imaginary part of the
following complex numbers.
a) z= 3-2i b) z=-4i+7 c) z=5i d) z= 9
2.2.1 Plotting complex numbers
Any complex number z= x+iy can be drawn in the
complex plane.

z=x+iy
Represented as a vector

x
Activity: Draw the following complex numbers
a) z= 2+3i b) z= -2+3i c) z= 2-3i d) z= -2-3i
Equality of complex numbers
Two complex numbers z1= a + ib and z2=c + id are equal iff a=c
& b=d.
Example:a) If z1=2+ix and z2= y+6i are equal, then find the
values of x and y.
b) If z1=10+i3x and z2= 2y+(x+y)i are equal
2.2.2 Operations on Complex numbers
Let z1= a + ib and z2=c + id be any two complex numbers. Then
a) z1 + z2=(a+c) + i(b+d)
b) z1 - z2=(a-c) + i(b-d)
c) z1. z2=(a+ib).(c+id) = a(c+id)+ib(c+id)=ac+iad+ibc-bd
= (ac-bd)+i(ad+bc)
d) z1/z2 = (a+ib)/(c+id), z2≠0
Example: If z1= 5+3i and z2= 4-2i, then find z1+ z2, z1-z2 , z1.z2
and z1/ z2.
2.2.3 Conjugate of a complex number
Definition 2.13
The conjugate of a complex number z = x+iy is denoted
by z and is defined as z= x-iy. It can be represented by
the point (x, -y) which is the reflection of the point (x, y)
about the x-axis. Imaginary axis

z = x+yi

Real axis

z = x-yi
Example: 1. Find the conjugate of the following complex number.
a) z= 5+3i b) z= (-10+2i)+(7-8i) c) z=(2+3i)(1-5i)
2. If z=3+2i, then find z  z and z  z .
Properties of conjugate
Let z=x+iy. Then
a. z  z b. z  z  2 x  2 Re( z )  2 z  z 
 2 
c. z  z  2iy  2i Im( z )
d. z  z  z  z f. z1.z2  z1.z2
1 2 1 2
e. z  z  z  z g.  z  z
1 2 1 2
1

z  z
1

 2 2

Activity : Let z = x + iy. Then find z.z .

2.2.4 Modulus (Norm) of a complex number
Definition 2.14
The modulus of a complex number z = x+iy is a non-
negative real number denoted by |z| and is defined as
z  x2  y2
.Geometrically, the number |z| represents the
distance between the point (x, y) and the origin.
Example: Find the modulus of the following complex
numbers.
a. z=5+3i b. z= 5i c. z=(1+2i)(3-4i)
z1 z1
Properties
z  z of modulus 2
z  z. z z1.z 2  z1 z 2 
z2 z2
a. b. z  z  z c.z d.
z1  z 2  z1  z 2 1 2 1 2
e. f.
2.2.5 Additive and multiplicative inverses
Let z = x+iy be a complex number, then
i. Its additive inverse denoted by (-z) is given by:
-z= - (x+iy)= -x - iy
1
ii. Its multiplicative inverse denoted by z is given by
1 x iy
z 1   2 
x  iy x  y 2 x 2  y 2
Example: Find the additive and multiplicative inverse of

z = 3 – 5i
Activity
1. Verify that a) (2, -3)(-2, 1)=(-1, 8)
b) (3, 1)(-3, 1)(1/5, 1/10)=(-2, -1)
c) (-1+i)7 = 8(-1-i)
2. Do the following operations and simplify your answer.
a) (1+2i)/(3-4i)+(2-i)/5i b) 5i/(1-i)(2-i)(3-i)
3. Locate the complex numbers z1+z2 and z1-z2, as vectors
where
a) z1=2i, z2=(2/3)-i b) z1=(-3, 1), z2=(1, 4)
c) z1= a+ib, z2= a-ib
4. Sketch the following set of points determined by the
condition given below:
a) |z-1+i|=1 b) |z+i|≤3 c) |z-4i|≥4
5. Show the equation |z-z0|=r which is a circle of radius r
centered at z0 can be written as |
z|2 -2Re(z. z0 )+ |z0|2 = r2
6. Find the least and greatest value of |z1+z2|if z1=4+3i
and |z2|=9
2.2.6 Argument (Amplitude) of a complex number
Definition 2.15
Argument of a complex number z = x+iy is the angle
formed by the complex number z = x+iy with the
positive x-axis. The argument of a complex number
z = x+iy is denoted by argz and is given by
arg(z) = tan-1 (y/x).
The particular argument of z that lies in the range
-𝜋<𝛳≤𝜋 is called the principal argument of z and is
denoted by Argz.
Notes: i. Argz∈(-𝜋, 𝜋]
ii. If 0≤Argz≤𝜋, move counter clockwise
direction, if not move in the other direction.
Example: Find the principal argument of the following
complex numbers:
a) z= 1+i b) z=-2+2√3i c) z=-√3-i
Properties of Arguments
a) Arg(z1.z2)=Argz1 + Argz2 b) Arg(z1/z2) =Argz1 - Argz2
Example: Find the principal argument of
a) (1+i)(-1-i) b) (-2+2i)/(1-i)
2.2.7 Polar form of a complex number
Definition
Let r and 𝜃 be polar coordinates of the point (x, y) of the
complex number z = x+iy. Since x = rcos𝜃 and y = rsin𝜃,
then the complex number can be written as : z=
r(cos𝜃 + isin𝜃) which is called polar form, where r is the
modulus of z and 𝜃 is the principal argument of z.
Example: Express the following complex numbers in
polar form.
a) z=1+i b) z= 5-5i c) z=1+√3i
Multiplication and division in polar form
If z1=r1(cos𝜃1+isin𝜃1) and z2=r2(cos𝜃2+isin𝜃2), then
a) z1. z2=r1.r2(cos(𝜃1+ 𝜃2)+ isin(𝜃1+ 𝜃2))
b) z1/ z2=r1/r2 (cos(𝜃1- 𝜃2)+ isin(𝜃1- 𝜃2))
Example If z1=6(cos𝜋/2+isin𝜋/2) and z2=2(cos𝜋/3+isin𝜋/3)
then find z1. z2 and z1/z2
Argument of a product
The argument of the product of two complex numbers is the
sum of their arguments.
arg(z1. z2)= argz1+ argz2
Argument of a quotient
The argument of the quotient of two complex numbers is the
difference of their arguments.
arg(z1/ z2)= argz1 - argz2
De Moivre’s Formula
Recall the product z1. z2=r1.r2(cos(𝜃1+ 𝜃2)+ isin(𝜃1+ 𝜃2))
Similarly we get
z1.z2. . . zn=r1.r2. . .rn(cos(𝜃1+𝜃2 +…+𝜃n)+ isin(𝜃1+ 𝜃2+. . .+ 𝜃n))
Now we can generalize that
zn= rn(cos(𝜃+𝜃+ …+𝜃)+ isin(𝜃+𝜃+. . .+𝜃))
= rn(cosn𝜃 + isinn𝜃) which is called De Moivre’s
formula.
Example
Express the following in polar form
a) (2+2i)100 b) z=(√3+i)60
Euler’s formula
The complex number z= r(cos𝜃+isin𝜃) can be written in
exponential form as z= rei𝜃 which is called Euler’s formula.
Note: zn= rn (cosn𝜃+ isinn𝜃) = rnei(n𝜃)
Example : Express the following complex number using
Euler’s formula.
a) z= 1+i b) z=1+√3i c) z=(√3+i)7
2.2.8 Extraction of roots
Suppose z0  r0 e i is the nth root of a non-zero complex
0

number z= rei𝜃, where n≥2 .

Then, z0 n  z which implies that r0 n ein  re i
0

⇒ r0 n  r and n 0    2k , k=0, 1, 2, 3, . . ., (n-1)

 1  2k
⇒ r0  r and n 0 
n

n
 2 k 
1 i   
 z0  r n
e n n 
which is the nth root of z, where n=2, 3, . . .
and k=0,1, 2, . . ., (n-1) or we can denote it
  2 k 
1 i  
ck  r n
e n n 

by ck as: , k=0,1, 2, . . ., (n-1).

Example: Find the square roots of z=1+√3i .
Activity
1. Find the cube roots of z = 8i. 3
z  8i
2 z 2
 4i  0
2. Solve the following equations. a) b)