Complex Numbers

Problem Set: Complex Numbers

Basic Properties and Geometric Interpretation
A Collection of Problems

Throughout, z, w, z1 , z2 , . . . denote complex numbers, z̄ the complex conjugate of z, |z| the mod-
ulus, and arg z the argument. The set of complex numbers is C, the unit circle is S 1 = {z :
|z| = 1}, and ω = e2πi/3 is a primitive cube root of unity unless mentioned otherwise. Where the
problem mentions a triangle in the complex plane, the vertices are labelled in counterclockwise
order unless specified.

Part 1 — Algebraic Manipulation and Basic Identities

1
1. Find all complex numbers z ̸= 0 such that z + is real.
z
2. Compute:
(a) i2000 + i1999 + i201 + i82 + i47 .
(b) 1 + i + i2 + i3 + · · · + in for n = 100, 101, 102, 103.
(c) i1 · i2 · i3 · · · i2021 .
(d) i−5 + (−i)−7 + (−i)13 + i−100 + (−i)94 .

1 1
3. Let z be a nonzero complex number such that z 3 + 3
≤ 2. Prove that z + ≤ 2.
z z

1 1 1
4. Consider z a complex number with Re(z) > 1. Prove that − < .
z 2 2

1
5. Let z1 , z2 be distinct complex numbers such that |z1 | = |z2 |. Prove that |z1 + z2 | < |z1 |.
2
6. Let n > 2 be an integer. Find the number of solutions to the equation z n−1 = iz̄.

7. Let z 2 + z + 1 = 0. Find the value of

1 2 1 2

2
z + z1 + z 2 + + · · · + z 12 +



z2 z 12
.

8. Let z1 , z2 , z3 be complex numbers such that z1 + z2 + z3 = 0 and |z1 | = |z2 | = |z3 | = 1.

Prove that z12 + z22 + z32 = 0.

9. Let z1 , z2 , z3 denote the vertices of an equilateral triangle in the complex plane, and let z0
be the centroid of the triangle. Prove that z12 + z22 + z32 = 3z02 .

10. Suppose real numbers x, y satisfy the equations

x + 8y 8x − y
x+ = 2, y+ = 0,
x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2
simultaneously. Find the value(s) of x and y.

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 Complex Numbers

11. Let z1 , z2 , z3 denote the vertices of a right-angled isosceles triangle, right-angled at z2 .

Prove that z12 + 2z22 + z32 = 2z2 (z1 + z3 ).

12. Let z1 , z2 , z3 be distinct complex numbers such that |z1 | = |z2 | = |z3 | > 0. If z1 + z2 z3 ,
z2 + z1 z3 and z3 + z1 z2 are real numbers, prove that z1 z2 z3 = 1.

13. Let z1 , z2 be complex numbers with |z1 | = |z2 | = 1. Prove that

|z1 + 1| + |z2 + 1| + |z1 z2 + 1| ≥ 2.

1 + z + z2
14. Let z be a complex number such that Im(z) ̸= 0, and is real. Prove that
1 − z + z2
|z| = 1.

15. Let z1 , z2 , z3 be complex numbers with z1 + z2 + z3 = z1 z2 + z2 z3 + z3 z1 = 0. Prove that

|z1 | = |z2 | = |z3 |.

Part 2 — Modulus, Conjugate and the Unit Circle

16. Let z, w ∈ C. Prove the parallelogram identity

|z + w|2 + |z − w|2 = 2(|z|2 + |w|2 ),

and use it to show that for any four points a, b, c, d in the plane, the sum of the squares of the
diagonals of the quadrilateral abcd equals the sum of the squares of the four sides minus four
times the square of the distance between the midpoints of the diagonals.

17. Show that for any z ∈ C,

|1 + z| + |1 − z| ≥ 2,
with equality iff z is real and |z| ≤ 1. Generalise: for any fixed w ̸= 0, find inf |z|=1 (|w + z| +
|w − z|).
1+z 1
18. Prove that for any z ∈ C with |z| = 1 and z ̸= −1, the number · is real, and find
1−z i
the corresponding statement for z with |z| = r.

z−w
19. For complex z, w with |z| < 1 and |w| < 1, prove that < 1, with equality on the
1 − z̄w
boundary |z| = 1 or |w| = 1. (Schwarz–Pick lemma, simplified form.)

20. Show that for z, w on the unit circle with zw ̸= 1,

z−w
= 1.
1 − zw
Use this to characterise all Möbius transformations of the unit disk to itself.

21. Let a, b, c ∈ C with |a| = |b| = |c| = 1. Prove

√
|a − b| · |b − c| · |c − a| ≤ 3 3,

and identify the equality case.

22. For complex numbers z1 , . . . , zn , prove the triangle inequality with refinement:

|z1 | − |z2 | − · · · − |zn | ≤ |z1 + z2 + · · · + zn | ≤ |z1 | + |z2 | + · · · + |zn |,

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 Complex Numbers

and characterise when each inequality becomes equality.

23. Let z1 , z2 , . . . , zn be complex numbers with |zk | ≤ 1 for all k. Prove that there exist
ε1 , ε2 , . . . , εn ∈ {−1, +1} such that
n
X √
εk zk ≤ 2.
k=1
(Hint: pair complex numbers by argument.)

Part 3 — Roots of Unity and Polynomial Identities

24. Let ω = e2πi/n be a primitive nth root of unity. Prove
n−1
Y
1 + ω + ω 2 + · · · + ω n−1 = 0, (1 − ω k ) = n.
k=1

25. Let ω = e2πi/7 . Compute

S1 = ω + ω 2 + ω 4 , S2 = ω 3 + ω 5 + ω 6 ,
and use S1 + S2 and S1 S2 to deduce S1 , S2 explicitly. Hence show cos 2π 4π 8π 1
7 + cos 7 + cos 7 = − 2 .

26. Let ω = e2πi/n . Prove that for any integer k with 1 ≤ k ≤ n − 1,

n−1
X
ω jk = 0.
j=0

Pn−1 2πjk 2πjk

and n−1
P
Apply this to evaluate j=0 cos j=0 sin .
n n
27. Let z1 , z2 , . . . , zn be the nth roots of a complex number a ̸= 0. Prove that
n
X
z1 z2 · · · zn = (−1)n−1 a, zk = 0 for n ≥ 2.
k=1

28. Find all z ∈ C satisfying z 7 = z̄. Describe the solution set geometrically.

29. Solve (z + 1)n = (z − 1)n over C, for an integer n ≥ 1. Show that all solutions are pure
imaginary, and express them as zk = i cot(kπ/n) for k = 1, 2, . . . , n − 1.

30. Prove that for any positive integer n and any complex z,
n−1
Y 
z − e2πik/n = z n − 1.
k=0
n−1
Y kπ n
Setting z = −1, deduce sin = n−1 .
n 2
k=1

31. Let ω ̸= 1 be an nth root of unity. Prove

n
1 + 2ω + 3ω 2 + · · · + nω n−1 = .
ω−1

32. Let P (z) = z n +an−1 z n−1 +· · ·+a0 have all roots on the unit circle. Prove that |a0 | = 1 and
that the coefficients of P are determined by the roots up to a unimodular constant. Conversely,
give an example of a degree-n monic polynomial with |a0 | = 1 but not all roots on the unit
circle.

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 Complex Numbers

Part 4 — Geometry in the Complex Plane

z3 − z 1
33. Three distinct points z1 , z2 , z3 in the complex plane are collinear if and only if is
z2 − z 1
real. Prove this. State the analogous criterion for z1 , z2 , z3 , z4 to be concyclic (or collinear).

34. Three points z1 , z2 , z3 form an equilateral triangle (in counterclockwise order) iff
z1 + ωz2 + ω 2 z3 = 0,
where ω = e2πi/3 . Prove this and prove the equivalent condition z12 +z22 +z32 = z1 z2 +z2 z3 +z3 z1 .

35. The triangle with vertices z1 , z2 , z3 is similar (with the same orientation) to the triangle
with vertices w1 , w2 , w3 iff  
z 1 w1 1
detz2 w2 1 = 0.
z 3 w3 1
Prove this and state the corresponding criterion for opposite (reflected) similarity.
a+b+c
36. Given △ABC with vertices a, b, c ∈ C, prove the centroid is , and the circum-
3
2 2 2
centre is the unique solution o of |o − a| = |o − b| = |o − c| . Derive the explicit formula
|a|2 (b − c) + |b|2 (c − a) + |c|2 (a − b)
o= .
a(b̄ − c̄) + b(c̄ − ā) + c(ā − b̄)

37. Prove that the orthocentre of a triangle with vertices a, b, c on the unit circle is h = a+b+c.
Hence prove the Euler line: the centroid g, circumcentre o, and orthocentre h of any triangle
⃗ = 3 · og,
satisfy oh ⃗ i.e. h = 3g − 2o.

38. For three points a, b, c on the unit circle, prove that the foot of the altitude from a to
bc has the complex coordinate 21 (a + b + c − bc/a). Use this to give a one-line proof that the
orthocentre is a + b + c.

39. ABCDEF is a hexagon inscribed in the unit circle, with vertices a, b, c, d, e, f ∈ S 1 . Prove
that ABCDEF has parallel opposite sides (AB ∥ DE, etc.) iff abc = def . Use this to derive a
complex-analytic proof of one direction of Pascal’s theorem.

40. (Ptolemy via complex numbers) For four complex numbers a, b, c, d, prove
|(a − c)(b − d)| ≤ |(a − b)(c − d)| + |(a − d)(b − c)|,
with equality iff a, b, c, d are concyclic in this cyclic order. Deduce the classical Ptolemy identity
for cyclic quadrilaterals.
az + b
41. Show that the Möbius transformation f (z) = (with ad − bc ̸= 0) maps the family
cz + d
of circles and lines to itself. Use this to prove that the cross-ratio
(z1 − z3 )(z2 − z4 )
[z1 , z2 ; z3 , z4 ] =
(z1 − z4 )(z2 − z3 )
is invariant under Möbius transformations.

42. Let z1 , z2 , z3 , z4 be four points on the unit circle. Prove

[z1 , z2 ; z3 , z4 ] ∈ R ⇐⇒ z1 , z2 , z3 , z4 are concyclic (or collinear).
Combining with the Möbius invariance of cross-ratio, deduce that any three points can be
mapped to any three given points by a unique Möbius transformation.

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 Complex Numbers

Part 5 — Inequalities, Sums and Advanced Identities

43. Prove the Lagrange identity for complex numbers:
n 2 n
! n !
X X X X
2 2
ak b̄k = |ak | |bk | − |aj b̄k − ak b̄j |2 .
k=1 k=1 k=1 1≤j<k≤n

Deduce the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality.

44. For n ≥ 1 and complex z1 , . . . , zn with |zk | ≤ 1 for all k, prove

n 2
X X
zk + |zj − zk |2 ≤ n2 .
k=1 1≤j<k≤n

45. Let a0 , a1 , . . . , an be complex numbers, and define P (z) = a0 + a1 z + · · · + an z n . Prove

Z 2π n
1 X
|P (eiθ )|2 dθ = |ak |2 .
2π 0
k=0

(Parseval’s identity for polynomials.)

46. (Schur’s inequality, complex version) Let z1 , z2 , z3 be complex numbers with |zk | = 1 for
k = 1, 2, 3. Prove that
|z1 − z2 |2 + |z2 − z3 |2 + |z3 − z1 |2 ≤ 9,
with equality iff z1 , z2 , z3 are the vertices of an equilateral triangle inscribed in S 1 .

47. Let z1 , z2 , . . . , zn be complex numbers. Prove

n n 2
X X X
2 2
|zj − zk | = n |zk | − zk .
1≤j<k≤n k=1 k=1

|z − zk |2 .
P
Apply this to give a one-line proof that the centroid g of n points minimises k

48. Let z1 , z2 , . . . , zn be on the unit circle, and let w ∈ C with |w| < 1. Prove
n 2
X zk − w
= n.
1 − w̄zk
k=1

49. Find the maximum of |z 3 − z + 2| over the closed unit disk |z| ≤ 1. (Hint: by the maximum
principle, the maximum is attained on the boundary |z| = 1.)

50. (Concluding identity) Let z1 , z2 , . . . , zn be the nth roots of unity. Prove that for any
complex number w,
n n
Y X 1 nwn−1
(w − zk ) = wn − 1, = n ,
w − zk w −1
k=1 k=1

and apply the second identity with w = 2 to evaluate

n
X 1
.
k=1
2 − e2πik/n