NAME:

TOPIC: Complex Numbers I

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Concepts Overview:
- Basic Concepts and Properties of Complex Numbers
- Four Operations of Complex Numbers
- Techniques in basic complex number questions
- Question Types: Comparing Real and Imaginary parts, Making an
unknown complex number the subject, simultaneous equations, finding
square roots of a complex number.
- Complex Conjugates (Cartesian form)

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Basic Concepts of Complex Numbers
Up until this chapter, we could never take the square root of a negative number. In complex numbers,
we now introduce an imaginary element i to denote √−1 such that i2 = −1. Now we are able to solve
all equations that have negative roots. Hence, 𝑥 2 = −1 can now be solved as such.
𝑥 2 = −1
𝑥 = ±√−1
= ±i
This quadratic equation has two complex roots. Take note that any quadratic equation has either two
real roots or two complex roots.

Example 1
Solve the equation 𝑧 2 + 5 = 2𝑧.

Basic properties of complex numbers

• Suppose 𝑥 and 𝑦 are real numbers, then any complex number 𝑧 can be written in the form 𝑥 + 𝑦i.
This form is known as the Cartesian form.
• ℂ denotes the set of complex numbers.
• A real number 𝑥 can be expressed in the form 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 0i = 𝑥.
• Suppose there exists a complex number 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦i, where 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ ℝ then 𝑥 is called the real part of 𝑧
and 𝑦 is called the imaginary part of 𝑧.
• The real part of 𝑧 is denoted by Re(𝑧) and the imaginary part of 𝑧 is denoted by Im(𝑧). Please take
note that Im(𝑧) ≠ 𝑦i.
• ⇒ If Re(𝑧) = 𝑥 = 0, then complex number 𝑧 is purely imaginary.
• ⇒ If Im(𝑧) = 𝑦 = 0, then complex number 𝑧 is purely real.
• The set of complex numbers ℂ cannot be ordered. E.g. 3i > −2i does not make sense.
• ∀𝑧1 , 𝑧2 ∈ ℂ, either 𝑧1 = 𝑧2 or 𝑧1 ≠ 𝑧2. The terms cannot be more or less than each other.
• 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬: Suppose 𝑧1 = 𝑥1 + 𝑦1 i and 𝑧2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 i are two complex
numbers. 𝑧1 = 𝑧2 if and only if 𝑥1 = 𝑥2 and 𝑦1 = 𝑦2. In other words, two complex numbers are
only equal to each other if and only if both their real and imaginary parts are equal.

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The Four Operations of Complex Numbers
(5 + 4i) + (3 − 2i) (5 − 4i) − (1 − 5i)

(2 − 4i)(3 + i) (3 + i)2

(1 + 2i)3 3+i
1+i

Dividing complex numbers is the same as the method of rationalizing the denominator. For the last
part of the question above, the complex conjugate of 1 + i is 1 − i.

• Addition in ℂ is commutative: 𝑧1 + 𝑧2 = 𝑧2 + 𝑧1
• Addition in ℂ is associative: 𝑧1 + (𝑧2 + 𝑧3 ) = (𝑧1 + 𝑧2 ) + 𝑧3
• Multiplication in ℂ is commutative: 𝑧1 𝑧2 = 𝑧2 𝑧1
• Multiplication in ℂ is associative: 𝑧1 (𝑧2 𝑧3 ) = (𝑧1 𝑧2 )𝑧3
• Distributive law in ℂ: 𝑧1 (𝑧2 + 𝑧3 ) = 𝑧1 𝑧2 + 𝑧1 𝑧3

Example 2 [RIJC Prelim/2005/P1/Q1(i)]

The complex numbers z and w are such that 𝑧 = −1 + 2i and 𝑤 = 1 + 𝑏i, where b is real.
𝑤 3
Given that the imaginary part of 𝑧 is − 5, find the value of b.

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 𝑤 Im(𝑤) 𝑤 𝑏
Note: Im ( 𝑧 ) ≠ , i. e. Im ( 𝑧 ) ≠ 2.
Im(𝑧)

Example 3
Given that (1 − 2i)2 + 𝑎(4i + 2) + 3𝑏 = 0, where 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℝ, find the value of a and b.

Example 4
Solve the equation
1 + 3𝑧
=i
1−𝑧

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Example 5
Solve the following set of simultaneous equations:
𝑧 + 𝑤 = −1
2𝑧 − i𝑤 = −1

Note: When solving simultaneous complex equations, elimination or substitution can both be done.

Example 6 [SRJC Prelim/2017/P1/Q1]

The complex numbers 𝑧 and 𝑤 satisfy the simultaneous equations
i𝑧 + 𝑤 = 2 + i and 2𝑤 − (1 + i)𝑧 = 8 + 4i.
Find 𝑧 and 𝑤 in the form of 𝑎 + i𝑏, where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are real.

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Example 7
Find the square roots of the complex number −8 − 6i.

Example 8
Factorise the following into linear factors.
(a) 𝑧 2 + 2
(b) 𝑧 2 − 2𝑧 + 5
(c) 𝑧 2 + 𝑧 + 1

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 CHECKPOINT
Example 9
Find the square roots of the complex number 6i, giving your answers in exact Cartesian form. Hence
solve the quadratic equation 𝑧 2 + (2i)𝑧 = 1 + 6i, giving your answers in exact Cartesian form.

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Example 10 [RJC Lecture Notes 2016/2017]
Find 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℝ if
(a) 3 + i is a root of the equation 𝑧 2 + 𝑎𝑧 + 𝑏 = 0,
(b) 𝑎 + i𝑎 is a root of the equation 𝑧 2 + 4𝑧 + 𝑏 = 0.

Example 11 [CJC J2 MYE/2017/Q6(a)]

(i) Find the roots of the equation 𝑧 2 = −3 + 4i in Cartesian form 𝑥 + i𝑦. [4]
2
(ii) Hence, or otherwise, find in Cartesian form, the roots of the equation 𝑧 + 𝑧 + (1 − i) = 0. [3]

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Example 12 [N2002/P1/Q5]
The complex number 𝑥 + i𝑦 is such that (𝑥 + i𝑦)2 = i, 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ ℝ.
(i) Find the possible values of the real numbers 𝑥 and 𝑦, giving your answers in exact form.
(ii) Hence find the possible values of the complex number 𝑤 such that 𝑤 2 = −i.

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Complex Conjugates in Cartesian Form
The complex conjugate of 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦i is denoted by 𝑧 ∗ .
𝑧 ∗ = 𝑥 − 𝑦i
Since 𝑧 and 𝑧 ∗ are conjugates of one another, they are known as a complex conjugate pair.
Note: If 𝑧 = −1 + 3i ⇒ 𝑧 ∗ = −1 − 3i and not 𝑧 ∗ = 1 + 3i.

Suppose 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦i,
• (𝑧 ∗ )∗ = 𝑧
• 𝑧 + 𝑧 ∗ = 2Re(𝑧)
• 𝑧 − 𝑧 ∗ = 2iIm(𝑧)
• 𝑧𝑧 ∗ = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2
• 𝑧 = 𝑧 ∗ if and only if 𝑧 is real.
• (𝑧1 + 𝑧2 )∗ = 𝑧1 ∗ + 𝑧2 ∗
• (𝑧1 − 𝑧2 )∗ = 𝑧1 ∗ − 𝑧2 ∗
• (𝑧 ∗ )𝑛 = (𝑧 𝑛 )∗ , 𝑛 ∈ ℝ
• (𝑧1 𝑧2 )∗ = (𝑧1∗ )(𝑧2∗ )
𝑧 ∗ 𝑧∗
• (𝑧1 ) = 𝑧1∗
2 2

Example 13
Solve 𝑧𝑧 ∗ − 5i𝑧 − 10 + 20i = 0, giving your solution in exact form.

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Example 14
Solve the following simultaneous equations.
2𝑧 + 𝑤 = 12i
4i − 13
𝑧 ∗ + 2𝑤 =
2−i

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Example 15 [RJC Prelim/2007/P2/Q1a]
3𝑎−5i
The complex numbers 𝑧 and 𝑤 are such that 𝑧 = 1+2i and 𝑤 = 1 + 13𝑏i, where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are real.
Given that 𝑧 ∗ = 𝑤, find the exact values of 𝑎 and 𝑏.

Solving equations with complex numbers is very similar to solving equations with real coefficients and
roots. There are some useful strategies to tackle complex number questions that students must
remember when going into the exam.

• Let 𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦i and then simplify and compare real and imaginary parts. Students must know when
this method can and cannot be used.

• If given a quadratic equation, use the quadratic formula or completing the square method to solve
the equation. In general, if given a polynomial equation, factorisation into multiple factors can also
be applied.

• Make 𝑧 the subject of the equation by factorisation or algebraic manipulation.

• Use the method of substitution or elimination to solve simultaneous equations.

END

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