Complex Numbers

(Part 1)

Basic Concepts
Complex Numbers are an extension to the real numbers .
The most obvious problem was finding solutions to
They are composed of a Real component:

and are usually denoted by the letter

and an Imaginary component:

Thus, for the general complex number we write:

where

i 2 1

or

x 2 1
ib

z x iy

i 1

While surds can have multiple types, such as

2, 5, 5, etc...

there is only one Imaginary Root to consider:

2 1 2

Hence the co-efficient of

is always real.

3 1 3

1 2

1 3

i 2

i 3

Basic Concepts

Thus the enlarged number field is called the Complex Numbers , and it contains the Real Numbers
(with the Rational Numbers and Integers as from previous years study), as well as the purely
imaginary numbers M:

3
4.5

4 5i

5i

2 i 3

i 3

Notations
Real and Imaginary parts for
The conjugate of
Purely Real:

z x iy

z x iy

are denoted as

is denoted as

i term last, i.e. 5 4i

and

Im( z ) y

z x iy

a 0i

We write the

Re( z ) x

Purely Imaginary:
rather than

4i 5

0 ib

Basic Operations
Using the notation i 1 , we can deduce that addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
will work very similarly to the processes we use when doing these operations with square roots.
Addition:

3 4 2
23 2
57 2

Subtraction:

3 4i
2 3i
5 7i

3 4 2
23 2
11 2

Multiplication:

3 4 2 23 2
6 9 2 8 2 12
6 12 2 17 2
30 17 2

3 4i 2 3i

6 9i 8i 12i 2
6 12 17i
6 17i

Note how
addition

3 4i
2 3i
1 1i

but that i 1
subtraction
of the real numbers.
2

causes an
causes a

Basic Operations
Division:

3 4 2 2 3 2

23 2 23 2

3 2

3 4 2 2 3 2
22

6 9 2 8 2 12 4
4 18
18 2

14
18 2

14

Multiply by the
conjugate
We rationalize
the denominator

3 4i 2 3i
2 3i 2 3i

6 9i 8i 12i 2
22 3i

18 i

13

Multiplying by
the conjugate
for complex
numbers
we realize the
denominator

Basic Identities
a ib c id

Equality of Complex numbers:

(where

a, b, c, d

are real)

a c i b d 0

a c 0 b d 0
ac

bd

Thus, two complex numbers are equal iff (if and only if) both their real parts are equal and both
their imaginary parts are equal.
Unlike real numbers, complex numbers are not ordered (they are not linear).
Non-real numbers cannot be classified as positive or negative.
The expression

a ib c id

The multiplications of
The reciprocal of

is

zz
1
z

gives:
, or

has no meaning for complex numbers!

a ib a ib a 2 b 2

1 z

z z
z
2 2
a b

i.e. the sum of two squares!

Solutions to Quadratic Equations

From the Quadratic Formula

as

Example:

b b 2 4ac
x
2a

we can now define the solution for

0,

b i
2a
x 3 x 8 0, hence
2

3 9 4.1.8
x
2
3 23

2
3 i 23

Note: due to the symmetry in the roots, complex solutions to a quadratic will occur in conjugate pairs

Solutions to Polynomial Equations

For a cubic (or any polynomial with an odd degree), from its graph we know that there will always be
at least one real root, so the other two will be a conjugate pair if they are complex roots.

Three real roots:

y x3 7 x 6
x 3 x 1 x 2
x 3,1, 2

One real root and a conjugate pair of complex roots:

y x3 2 x 2 x 6

x 3 x 2 x 2

x 3,

1 i 7
2

Solutions to Polynomial Equations

For higher power polynomials of even degree, roots will occur in real pairs and/or complex conjugate
pairs.

Four real roots:

Two real, two complex roots:

Four complex roots:

y x 4 2 x 3 7 x 2 8 x 12

y x 4 2 x3 5x 2 5x 6

y x 4 6 x 2 25

x 3 x 2 x 1 x 2

x 3, 2,1, 2

x 3 x 2 x 2 x 1

x 3, 2,

1 i 3
2

x 2 4 x 5 x 2 4 x 5

x 2 i , 2 i

Solutions to Polynomial Equations

All of the previous examples make on VERY important assumption:
The co-efficients of the polynomials are real.
If the co-efficients are NOT real, then the complex solutions do NOT occur in conjugate pairs!
Example:

x2 x 1 i 0
x

1 1 4.1. 1 i

2
1 3 4i

Which leads to finding the square root of a complex number

Solutions to Polynomial Equations

Once any co-efficient is not real, our situation changes.

x2 x 1 i 0
x

1 1 4.1. 1 i

2
1 3 4i

We now need the square root of a complex number.

We do this using the following identity:

a ib x iy

so

a ib x iy

Equating real and imaginary parts gives:

x 2 y 2 a 2 xy b
which we need to solve simultaneously, noting that all
the above values must be real.

b
2x

b
a
2 x
4 x 4 4ax 2 b 2 0
x2

x 2 y 2 2 xyi
Thus we end up with a quadratic in
solve.

x 2 which we must

Solutions to Polynomial Equations

From the example above:
With

x y 3 2 xy 4
2

The second equation gives

2
x

1 2i, 1 2i

2
x 3
x
x 4 3x 2 4 0

Thus

x
x

2
2

3 x 2 1 0
3 0

x 2 3
x i 3

1 0
x2 1
x 1

Which with only real solutions, gives

x 1

2
x

gives:

1 2i

Which we substitute into the first:

x 1 , then y

1 3 4i
2
1 1 2i
x
2
2 2i 0 2i

,
2
2
1 i , i

becomes

Note: these roots are NOT conjugate pairs, as

the co-efficients are not real.