1 Complex Numbers

1.1 Definition: A complex number

A complex number zis a number that can be written in the form z = a + bi where a and b are
real numbers and i := 1. This form is known as the standard form or Cartesian form of
z, a is the real part of z, denoted by Re(z), b is the imaginary part of z, denoted by Im(z), i is
known as the imaginary unit, and note that i2 = 1. The set of all complex numbers is denoted
by C.

Exercise 1. Identify the real part and imaginary part of each complex number.
i+ i+
(a) 5 3i (b) i 2 (c) (d)
5 5i

1.2 Equality of two complex numbers:

Let z1 = a1 +ib1 and z2 = a2 +ib2 . Then, z1 = z2 if and only if Re(z1 ) = Re(z2 ) and Im(z1 ) = Im(z2 ).

Exercise 2. Let z1 = 2 + x 3i and z2 = 5 + (1 y)i. If z1 = z2 , find x and y.

1.3 Elementary operations on complex numbers

Exercise 3. Add or subtract as indicated and write your answer in standard form.

(a) (2 + 3i) + (i 4) (b) (4 3i) (2 + 5i) (c) (3 i) (1 + 5i) + (i 5)

Exercise 4. Simplify and write write your answer in standard form.

(a) i3 (b) i4 (c) i5 (d) i99 (100) i100 (e) i101

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Exercise 5. Multiply as indicated and write your answer in standard form.

(a) (2 + 3i)(i 4) (b) 2i(4 3i)(2 5i) (c) (3 i)(1 + 5i)(i 5)2

Exercise 6. Simplify and write write your answer in standard form.

(a) 25 (b) 98(3 16) (c) (3 16)(1 + 9)

1.4 Definition: Conjugate of a complex number

If z = a + bi, then the conjugate of z, denoted by z, is a bi.

Exercise 7. Find the conjugate of each complex number.

(a) 3 2i (b) i + 3 (c) (d) (3 + 2i)2

Exercise 8. Perform indicated operations and write your answer in standard form.

(a) (3 + 2i)(3 2i) (b) (a + bi)(a + bi)

1.5 Division of complex numbers

Exercise 9. Divide as indicated and write your answer in standard form.

3 + 2i 1 a + bi
(a) (b) (c)
4 3i 1i c + di

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1.6 Properties of conjugate

Exercise 10. Let z, w C. Prove the following.

(a) Re(z) = 12 (z + z). (e) z w = z w.

1 (f) zw = zw.
(b) Im(z) = 2i
(z z).

(c) z = z. (g) z n = z n where n N.

z z
(d) z + w = z + w. (h) = .
w w

1.7 Definition: Absolute value of a complex number

The absolute
value (or modules) of a complex number z = a + bi, denoted by |z|, is given by
|z| = a2 + b2 .

Exercise 11. Find (a) |1 i| (b) | 5 + 2i|.

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1.8 Properties of absolute value

Exercise 12. Let z, w C. Prove the following. (Identify when the equality holds in each inequality.)

1. |Re(z)| |z|.
6. |z| = 0 if and only if z = 0.
2. |Im(z)| |z|.
7. |zw| = |z||w|.
3. |z| = | z|. z |z|
8.   = where w 6= 0.
 
4. |z| = |z|. w |w|
9. |z + w| |z| + |w|. (Triangular inequality )
5. |zz| = |z|2 = |z|2 .

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Note: A vector is an object that has both magnitude and direction and often represented by an
arrow on the xy-plane.

1.9 The complex plane (Argand diagram)

The rectangular coordinate plane can be used to

locate complex numbers by taking x-axis to rep-
resent real numbers and y-axis to represent imag-
inary numbers.

Exercise 13. Locate z = 3 + 2i on the complex plane and identify |z|.

Exercise 14. Locate z = 3 + 2i and z = 3 2i on the same complex plane.

Exercise 15. Locate z1 = 3 + 2i, z2 = 4 + 5i, and w = z1 + z2 on the same complex plane. Identify
the how z1 , z2 and w are related.

Exercise 16. Locate z1 = 3 + 2i, z2 = 4 + 5i, and w = z1 z2 on the same complex plane. Identify
the how z1 , z2 and w are related.

Exercise 17. Locate z1 = 3 + 2i, z2 = i, and w = z1 z2 on the same complex plane. Identify the how
z1 , z2 and w are related.

Exercise 18. Illustrate the properties given in Exercise 10 and 12 on the complex plane.

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1.10 Polar form of a complex number

Let 0 6= z = a+bi. Note that the point P can be represented

as (a, b) in rectangular coordinates and as (r, ) in polar co-
ordinates. Then z can be expressed using polar coordinates
as z = r(cos +i sin ) where r = a2 + b2 and = tan1 ab .
This is known as the polar form of z, 0 < r is the mod-
ulus of z, and is the argument of z, denoted by arg(z).
The principle argument, denoted by Arg(z) (, ].

Exercise 19. Locate the given complex number on complex plane and give the standard form.

(a) z = 3(cos 2
3
+ i sin 2
3
) (b) z = 2(cos 37 + i sin 37 )

Exercise 20. Locate the given complex number on complex plane and give the polar form.

(a) z = 2 + 3i (b) z = 2 3i (c) z = 2 + 3i (d) z = 2 3i

Exercise 21. Let z1 = r1 (cos 1 + i sin 1 ) and z2 = r2 (cos 2 + i sin 2 ). Show that

z1 z2 = r1 r2 [cos(1 + 2 ) + i sin(1 + 2 )].

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Exercise 22. Let z = 2(cos 3 + i sin 3 ). Find iz and illustrate on complex plane.

Exercise 23. Let z1 = r1 (cos 1 + i sin 1 ) and 0 6= z2 = r2 (cos 2 + i sin 2 ). Show that
z1 r1
= [cos(1 2 ) + i sin(1 2 )].
z2 r2

Exercise 24. Let z = 2(cos 3 + i sin 3 ). Find z 1 and illustrate on complex plane.

1.11 Exponential form of a complex number

Note: The Taylor series of a function f near x = a is given by

X f (n) (a)
f (x) = (x a)n , |x a| < R
n=0
n!

where R is the radius of convergence. When a = 0 this is known as Maclaurin series.

Exercise 25. Show that ei = cos + i sin . (Write the Taylor series for f (x) = sin x, f (x) =
cos x, f (x) = ex , f (x) = eix and deduce.)

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 i
Exercise 26. Evaluate (a) ei (b) e 2 .

Let z = r(cos + i sin ). Then z = rei and this is known as the exponential form of z.

Exercise 27. Express the following in exponential form. (a) 2 + 3i (b) i (c) e

z
Exercise 28. Let z = rei and w = sei . Find (a) z (b) zw (c) w

1.12 de Moivres theorem

Let n N. Then, (cos + i sin )n = cos(n) + i sin(n).

Exercise 29. Prove de Moivres theorem.

Exercise 30. Find (a) (1 + i)10 (b) (2 3i)12 .

Exercise 31. Roots of unity: Find all solutions.

(a) x2 = 1 (b) x3 = 1 (c) x4 = 1 (d) x5 = 1 (e) x10 = 1

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Exercise 31. Find all solutions.

(a) z 7 = 7

(b) z 4 = i

(c) z 2 + ( 3 + i)z + 1 = 0

(d) Let z 3 + 2z 2 + z + 2 = 0. Show that i is one solution and find all other solutions.

Exercise 32. Describe the points on the complex plane that satisfy:

(a) |z| = 1 (b) |z 1| = 1 (c) |z (1 + i)| = 2 (d) |z| = |z 4| (e) Arg(z)= 3