1

Complex Numbers

= + ; where = 1
The real part of = () =
The imaginary part of = () =

Ex. = 3 2;

() = 3,

() = 2

To add and subtract complex numbers we add/subtract the real parts and the
imaginary parts.

Ex. (3 + 4) + (2 2) = 1 + 2

If = + , then the conjugate of z, written , is = .

Ex. if = 4 3, then = 4 + 3

Notice that if = + and = then

+
2

=
=

(+ )+()
2
(+ )()
2

= = ()
= = ()

If = + , then || = 2 + 2 =distance from + to 0.

|| is called the modulus of z.
Notice that || = 2 + ()2 = ||

Ex. Evaluate |3 4|
|3 4| = 32 + (4)2 = 5

Multiplication of complex numbers:

= 1 + 1 ,

= 2 + 2 ,

then

= (1 + 1 )(2 + 2 )
= 1 2 + 1 2 + 2 1 + 1 2 2
= (1 2 1 2 ) + (1 2 + 2 1 )

Notice that = .
It is also easy to show that | | = ||| |

Ex. (2 3)(1 + 2) = 2 + 4 3 6 2 = 2 + + 6 = 8 + .

Notice also that ||2 = ; since

= ( + )( ) = 2 + 2 2 = 2 + 2 = ||2

Division of complex numbers:

= 1 + 1 ,

=
=

1 +1
2 +2

= 2 + 2 ,

=(

1 2 +1 2
2 2 +2 2

1 +1
2 +2

+(

1+

=(

2
1+

)(

1
1

2 2
2 2

2 1 1 2
2 2 +2 2

)=

)=

(1 +1 )(2 2 )
2 2 +2 2

Ex. Put in + form:

2

)(

then

1+
22+ 2
12 +12

13

Polar Coordinate form of a complex number:

Recall that:

= 1 + +

2
2!

= 1 + () +
= 1 +
= (1

2
2!

3!

()2
2!

2
2!

4
4!

+
+
3
3!

4
4!

()3
3!

4
4!

5
5!

+;
()4
4!

thus we can say:

()5
5!

+ 5! +

+ ) + (

3
3!

5
5!

+ )

= +
This is often called Eulers formula and is a very important relationship for the
study of complex variables.

In polar coordinates we have:

= ,

Where = 2 + 2 and =

So if = + = + ()
Since = + , we can write any complex number as:

= ; where = 2 + 2 and = . This is called the polar form of

.
Notice that = || =the modulus of .
is often called the argument of = ().
Notice that the polar representation of a complex number is not unique. We can
keep adding multiples of 2 to and the value of will not change:
= = (+2) ,

= 0, 1, 2, 3,

Multiplying and dividing complex numbers in polar form is particularly easy as is

raising a complex number to a power.

= 1 + 1 = 1 1 ,

= 2 + 2 = 2 2 ,

=(1 1 )( 2 2 ) = 1 2 (1 +2 )

1
1 (1 2 )
=
=

then

= (1 1 ) = (1 ) 1
= 1 1

Ex. Write 1 + , 3 + , and

(1+)3
(3+)2

in Polar form.

1 = 1 + so = 1, = 1.
1

Thus = 12 + 12 = 2;

1 = 2

( 4 +2)

= 1 ; = 4 + 2, = 0, 1, 2,

= 0, 1, 2,

2 = 3 + so = 3, = 1.
=

Thus = 3 + 1 = 2,

1
;
3

= 6 + 2, = 0, 1, 2,

2 = 2 ( 6 +2) ; = 0, 1, 2,
(1+)3
(3+)2

=
=

( +2) 3
4
)

( +2) 2
(2 6
)

(2

3
( 4 +6)

( +4)
4 3

22

2 (3+2)
4 3
2

2 (5+2)
12
2

; = 0, 1, 2,

For each value of = 0, 1, 2, , the answer is the same. However, when we

take roots (like square roots, cube roots, etc.) this wont be the case
=

(+2)

then = (

(+2)

) = ( (+ ) ) ; = 0, 1, 2,

Ex. Find the roots of 3 = 2.

First convert -2 to polar form.
0

= 2, = 0, so = 2, = 2 ; = + 2, = 0, 1, 2,
3 = 2 (+2) , = 0, 1, 2,

Thus we have:

= (2 (+2) )3
2
)
3

= 2( ( 3 +
3

=0

= 2 ( 3 ) = 2 (cos ( 3 ) + ( 3 )) = 2 (2 +

=1

= 2 ( 3 + 3 ) = 2 = 2

=2

= 2 ( 3 + 3 ) = 2

Roots:

3
)
2

5
3

= 2 (cos ( ) + ( )) = 2 (
3
3
2

= 2 (2 + 2 ) , 2 ,

2 (2

3
),
2

3
)
2

roots repeat for > 2 or < 0.

The Triangle Inequality:

The triangle inequality turns out to be extremely useful in many areas of real
and complex analysis.

Theorem (Triangle Inequality): For any 1 , 2

||1 | |2 || |1 + 2 | |1 | + |2 |

The geometric meaning of this inequality is that the sum of any two sides of a
triangle is larger than or equal to the length of the third side.
In general if , then:

|=1 | =1| |