Grade 10

A12.1: COMPLEX
ALGEBRA –
INTRODUCTION AND
OPERATIONS

SECTION: ALGEBRA
EXTENDING THE NUMBER SYSTEM
In this module the concept of numbers is extended so that ALL numbers have
square roots.
Observe the equation , leading to :
In the real number system, square roots only exist for positive numbers. If there
is no such number that .
A new kind of number, the complex number, was invented to address this
problem. This was done very simply by only inventing one new number, the
imaginary number denoted by , whose square is .
and
This number combined with the real numbers, create the Complex Number
system ().
The complex numbers consist of numbers in the form , where and are
real numbers and .
Complex numbers of the form are called real numbers.
Complex numbers of the form are called imaginary numbers.
In a general complex number , is called the real part and the imaginary part of
this complex number.
We write: and .

If we say that and

The letter is often used to denote a complex number.

“It is hard to imagine any number having a negative square. The result: it is tempting to
believe that it doesn't really exist, but is just a convenient mathematical
fiction. ... Imaginary numbers do exist. Despite their name, they are not
really imaginary at all.”

Complex numbers have an important place in modern physics and

electronics. In electronics they use the letter , rather than , because is already
used as a symbol for current. The letter is used as the symbol for , because it is
the first letter that comes after in the alphabet.

All the normal algebraic rules are also consistent for complex numbers, except
for inequalities. The relations < and > cannot be used to compare pairs of
complex numbers.
SIMPLIFICATION OF POWERS OF
From the definition where , it follows that (the principal square root).

Observe the following pattern:

Can you see that the answers
repeat in cycles of ?

Any power of can be written

as or .

Seeing that it repeats and forms a

cycle of four, we can write
the exponent of in terms of
multiples of and then add or
until we have the correct
exponent.

et cetera!
For example:
 Take the imaginary number . The number is a perfect multiple of and
therefore . Any exponent of that is a multiple of will lead to an answer of .
(See above to convince yourself of this fact.)

The nearest multiple of is and then is added to give . One more than a
multiple of in the exponent leads to as answer.

The nearest multiple is and then is added to give .
This leads to as the answer. Two more than a multiple of in the exponent
of leads to an answer of .

Three more than a perfect multiple of in the exponent of leads to an
answer of .
If we take our original equation again, , then

(More about how to solve quadratic equations in a next lesson.)

We are also able to simplify square roots of negative numbers:

NOTE:
 and
 for
Example 1

Simplify the following:

Solution
Exponent

Exponent
 Exponent

Exponent

(multiple of )

EXERCISE 1

1. Simplify the first ten powers of .

2. Use the information in Question to determine the following in terms of

or .
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
The complex number is a complex number with real part and imaginary part .
We write it as follows: If , then and .

Complex number
EXERCISE 2

Complete the following table:

Complex number
ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION OF COMPLEX NUMBERS

Rule for addition and subtraction:

 Add the real parts and the imaginary parts of the two numbers separately. The
real and the imaginary parts are respectively seen as “like terms”.
 Subtract the real parts and the imaginary parts of the two numbers separately.

Example 2

Given: and

Determine:
Solution
Example 3

Given: and

Determine:

Solution
MULTIPLICATION OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
Rule for multiplication:

 Multiply in the same way as with two binomials.

 Substitute and simplify.

Example 4

Given: and

Determine .

Solution

Remember:
Example 5

Given: and

Determine .

Solution
Example 6

If and , Determine the following:

Solution
EXERCISE 3

1. If and , Determine the

following and simplify the answers.

1.2 𝑟 +𝑘
1.3 𝑟 ‒ 𝑑 1.4 𝑘𝑤
1.5 𝑟𝑘 1.6 𝑑𝑘
1.7 𝑤𝑑
2. Given the complex numbers and .
Determine the following and simplify the answers.

2.1 2.2

2.3 2.4

2.5 2.6

2.7 2.8

2.9 2.10
THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

THE COMPLEX CONJUGATE

If , then , is the complex conjugate of .

Only change the sign in front of the imaginary part.

More examples:

Complex number Complex conjugate

The complex conjugate is useful and important due to properties that we will
investigate…
SUM OF TWO CONJUGATES

The answer is real!

PRODUCT OF TWO CONJUGATES

(Note that the middle terms, the ’s, cancel out.)

Answer is real again!

Now take any pair of conjugates from the table and determine their sum and
product. Convince yourself that the answer will always be a real number.
Example 7

Given: and

Prove that

Solution
EXERCISE 4
1. Give the conjugate of each of the following complex numbers:
1.1 2+3 𝑖 1.2 5 𝑖 ‒ 7 1.3 9 ‒ 𝑖 1.4 − 6 𝑖 ‒ 10
2. If and , determine the following and simplify the answers.
DIVISION OF COMPLEX NUMBERS
Rule:

 Multiply both the numerator and the denominator of the complex fraction with
the conjugate of the denominator.

This action makes the denominator real, and then we can divide by the
denominator. Also remember that if you multiply a fraction with (top and
bottom with the same number), the fraction stays equivalent.
 Substitute all and simplify.
 Write the number in the form .
Example 8

Solution

Conjugate!
EXERCISE 5
1. If , determine the value of . Write the answer in the form .

2. Given that , determine the following in

the form :
EQUATING REAL AND IMAGINARY PARTS
If it follows that: and

Example 9

If , solve for and .

Solution
multiply out all the brackets
remember that
separate Re and Im

Equate the coefficients:

--- 

--- 
 + :

Substitute into: --- 

Solution: and

EXERCISE 6
In each case determine the values of and :
1.
2.