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Complex Numbers Overview and Operations

Complex numbers can be represented in either Cartesian form (a + ib) or polar form (re^{iθ}). In Cartesian form, a is the real part and b is the imaginary part, while in polar form r is the magnitude and θ is the argument. Complex numbers can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided by treating them as vectors in the complex plane or using trigonometric identities. The conjugate of a complex number is obtained by changing the sign of the imaginary part. Important identities for complex numbers include the Euler's identity, formulas for magnitude and argument, and trigonometric identities for sums and differences of angles.

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Matthew Zang
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50 views4 pages

Complex Numbers Overview and Operations

Complex numbers can be represented in either Cartesian form (a + ib) or polar form (re^{iθ}). In Cartesian form, a is the real part and b is the imaginary part, while in polar form r is the magnitude and θ is the argument. Complex numbers can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided by treating them as vectors in the complex plane or using trigonometric identities. The conjugate of a complex number is obtained by changing the sign of the imaginary part. Important identities for complex numbers include the Euler's identity, formulas for magnitude and argument, and trigonometric identities for sums and differences of angles.

Uploaded by

Matthew Zang
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Complex Numbers Crash Course

John Stout
jes554@[Link]
Definitions
A complex number z can be defined as a pair of real numbers a and b. If we write z in
Cartesian form
z = a + ib
(1.1)
we call a the real part of z and b the imaginary part. We can plot the two real numbers
(a, b) in a plane called the complex plane, shown below.
Im
z = a + ib
2

a2 +
r=

b
Re

A complex number can be thought of as a vector in a two-dimensional plane. This vector


forms a right triangle in the two-dimensional plane, which can be specified by either the size
of its legs (a, b) or the length of the hypotenuse and the angle it makes with the real axis
(r, ), both real numbers. From the diagram, we see that
(a, b) = (r cos , r sin ).

(1.2)

If we want to write this in the form of Eq. 1.1, we have


z = a + ib = r cos + ir sin = r (cos + i sin ) ,

(1.3)

and using the Euler identity


ei = cos + i sin

(1.4)

z = rei .

(1.5)

we have
r = |z| is called the magnitude, or absolute value, of z, while = arg(z) is called the
phase, argument, or angle of z. Eq. 1.5 is called the polar form of z. It is important to
remember that a + ib and rei are not different quantities, just different representations of z.
We can switch between these different representations by using trigonometry. For z =
a + ib = rei , we have
p
a = r cos
r = a2 + b2
(1.6)

a>0
 
0
b
b = r sin
= tan1
+
(1.7)
a < 0, b > 0

a < 0, b < 0

Let z = a + ib = rei and w = c + id = sei .


Addition and Subtraction
Adding and subtracting complex numbers is exactly the same as adding two two-dimensional
vectors. This must be done in Cartesian form.
z + w = (a + ib) + (c + id) = (a + c) + i(b + d)

(1.8)

z w = (a + ib) (c + id) = (a c) + i(b d)

(1.9)

We can visualize this on the complex plane as:


z+w

Im

w
z = a + ib

zw

w = c + id

Re

Multiplication and Division


Unlike two-dimensional vectors, we can multiply and divide complex numbers. This can be
done in either the Cartesian form or the polar form.
Cartesian Form

Polar Form

zw = (a + ib)(c + id)




zw = rei sei

= (ac bd) + i(bc + ad)


z
a + ib
(a + ib)(c id)
=
=
w
c + id
(c + id)(c id)
(ac + bd) + i(bc ad)
=
c2 + d2

(1.10)

= rsei(+)

(1.12)

rei

z
= i
w
se
r
= ei()
s

(1.11)

We can visualize this on the complex plane as:


zw

rs

Im

r
s

z
w

Re

(1.13)

Complex Conjugation
Theres a final operation that we can define on complex numbers: conjugation. The complex
conjugate of z is written either z or z , and has the following behavior:
z = a ib = rei .

(1.14)

Conjugation works simply in complicated expressions: every where you see an i, replace it
with i. It can be visualized as a vertical flip:
Im

Re

Importantly, the conjugate can give us a handy way of computing the magnitude: |z| =
Identities to Remember Forever
With z = a + ib = rei and w = c + id = sei .
ei = cos + i sin
p
|z| = a2 + b2 = r
b
= tan1 + . . .
a
|zw| = |z||w|
z
|z|

=
w
|w|
|z + w| =
6 |z| + |w|

Im (zw) 6= Im (z) Im (w)


z + z = 2 Re (z) = 2a
z z = 2i Im (z) = 2ib
i2 = 1

i3 = i
1
i4 = 1
= i
i
ei + ei
cos =
2
ei ei
sin =
2i
cos2 + sin2 = 1
1 + cos 2
cos2 =
2
1

cos
2
sin2 =
2
sin( ) = sin cos cos sin

z = a ib = rei
z z = |z|2 = r2
(z + w) = z + w

(zw) = zw


z

z
w = w

(z) = z

cos( ) = cos cos sin sin


1
ea eb = ea+b
= ea
ea

Re (z) = a
Im (z) = b 6= ib
Re (zw) 6= Re (z) Re (w)

z z.

(0, 1)



3
2


3
1
,
2 2

3 1
2 ,2


2
2
,
2
2

12 ,


2
2
,
2
2

2
3

3
4

120

60

150

7
6

3
1
2 , 2

2
2
2 , 2

300

4
3

12 ,

11
6

5
3

3
2


2
2
2 , 2


(0, 1)

Unit circle by S. Aryal

3
1
2 , 2

3
2

7
4

270

330
240

5
4

(1, 0)

360
0

210

30

180

3 1
2 ,2

5
6

(1, 0)

90


3
1
,

2
2

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