APA Style Sheet 1

Running head: NUMBER SYSTEMS AND

Number Systems and Algebraic Structures

Hermilio D. Maia ID # 65156

Western Governors University

Objective: 202.1.1-02

07/29/2008
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Number Systems and Algebraic Structures

Complex Numbers

A.

1.

The discovery of complex numbers is attributed to Girolamo

Cardano, an Italian mathematician, who called them “fictitious

numbers” while working on the solution of general cubic

equations.

Complex numbers are an extension of the set of real numbers

R, considered a subset of the complex number set C.

2.

A complex number has the format a + bi, where

a: is the real part and

b: is the imaginary part.

Every real number can be considered a complex number where

the complex part b=0.

Complex numbers with a real part a=0 are called imaginary

numbers, and represented by bi.

Complex numbers are defined by the imaginary unit expressed

as i = − 1 where i 2 = −1 .

Examples of complex numbers:

z = 2 + 3i; z = -5i; z = 3 (b=0); z = 7 − 4i

Graphically, complex numbers are represented using the

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complex or Argand plane. This is a Cartesian plane where the

y_axis represents the imaginary part of the complex number, and

the x_axis specifies the real part. The complex numbers are

position vectors or points in the Cartesian plane.

We have here the geometric representation of the complex

number z = x+yi and its complex conjugate z=x-yi.

3.

Addition and Multiplication of complex numbers.

Initially, let’s start with the definition of absolute

value of a complex number, and equality of complex numbers.

Since we are representing complex numbers as position

vectors, all operations with complex numbers can be performed as

operations with vectors.

The absolute value of a complex number z = a = bi is

defined as |z| = sqrt( a 2 + b 2 ).

Two complex numbers a = bi = c + di, if and only if a = c

and b = d.

3.1.
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Addition

Rule to add or subtract complex numbers, we add or subtract

their real number parts together, and then add or subtract their

imaginary parts together.

Example # 1.

Add z1=5+3i and z2=1-6i

Rule:

Add the real number parts and then the imaginary number

parts, z1+z2 = (5+1)+(3+(-6))i= 6 – 3I

Following we have the calculations performed by Maple9,

including the graph of the sum.

> restart;

> z1:=5+3*I;

> z2:=1-6*I;

> z3:=z1+z2;

> with(plottools):

L1 := arrow([0,0], [5,3], .2, .5, .1, color=green):

L2 := arrow([0,0], [1,-6], .2, .5, .1, color=blue):

L3 := arrow([0,0], [6,-3],.2,.5,.1,color=red):

> plots[display](L1,L2,L3, axes=normal,view=[-10..10,-10..10]);

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The green colored vector is the complex number z1 = 5 + 3i.

The blue colored vector is the complex number z2 = 1 - 6i

The green red vector is the complex number z1 + z2 = 6 – 3i.

The parallelogram rule for vector addition was used to determine

the vector sum. The red vector is the diagonal of the

parallelogram formed by the green and blue vectors.

3.2
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Subtraction

Using the same vectors as in the addition example we have:

z1 – z2 = (5 – 1) + (3 – (-6))I = 4 + 9i.

The Maple9 calculations and graph of the vector difference are

shown bellow:

> restart;

> z1:=5+3*I;

> z2:=1-6*I;

> z3:=z1-z2;

> with(plottools):

L1 := arrow([0,0], [5,3], .2, .5, .1, color=green):

L2 := arrow([0,0], [1,-6], .2, .5, .1, color=blue):

L3 := arrow([0,0], [4,9],.2,.5,.1,color=red):

> plots[display](L1,L2,L3, axes=normal,view=[-10..10,-10..10]);

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The same color-coding is also used here.

3.3

Multiplication.

We treat multiplication of complex numbers the same way as the

multiplication of binomials.

When a complex number is multiplied by an imaginary number, we

use the distributive property of multiplication.

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When we multiply two complex numbers, the same property is again

used, but employing FOIL.

3.3.1

3i (5 - 2i) = (3i x 5)+ (3i x (-2i)) = 15i – 6i2 = 15i – 6(-1) =

15 I + 6.

In standard form 6 = 15i.

Maple9 confirmation and graph, (same color-coding as the other

examples):

> restart;

> z1:=3*I;

> z2:= 5-2*I;

> z1*z2;

> with(plottools):

L1 := arrow([0,0], [0,3], .2, .5, .1, color=green):

L2 := arrow([0,0], [5,-2], .2, .5, .1, color=blue):

L3 := arrow([0,0], [6,15],.2,.5,.1,color=red):

> plots[display](L1,L2,L3, axes=normal,view=[-10..10,-10..10]);

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3.4

Multiply

(3 + 2i)(5 – 4i)

F O I L

(3 x 5)+ (3 x (-4i))+(2i x 5)+(2i x (-4i)) =

15 – 12i + 10i – 8i2 =

15 –2i – 8(-1)=
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15 –2i + 8 =

23 – 2i

Maple9 calculation and graph:

> restart;

> z1:= 3+2*I;

> z2:=5-4*I;

> z1*z2;

> with(plottools):

L1 := arrow([0,0], [3,2], .2, .5, .1, color=green):

L2 := arrow([0,0], [5,-4], .2, .5, .1, color=blue):

L3 := arrow([0,0], [23,-2],.2,.5,.1,color=red):

> plots[display](L1,L2,L3, axes=normal,view=[-10..25,-10..10]);

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4.

Keeping in mind the two cases of addition and multiplication,

the main differences in the way these two operations are

performed are the following.

4.1. To add or subtract complex numbers, we make a clear

distinction during the process in how we add or subtract first

the real number parts and then add or subtract the imaginary
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number parts.

To multiply complex numbers, we make use of the distributive

property of multiplication; making sure that when we multiply an

imaginary number by another the product is a real number because

i2 = -1. In the case of multiplication, we do separate the real

and imaginary numbers before we multiply, because the operation

falls under scalar multiplication of vectors.

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References

No references.