MATH 101 Complex Numbers I

a) Definition of Complex Numbers (a + bi form)

A complex number is any number that can be expressed in the form z = a + bi, where a is the real
part, b is the imaginary part, and i is the imaginary unit such that i² = -1. Thus, every complex
number combines both real and imaginary components.

Examples:

i. z₁ = 3 + 4i
ii. z₂ = -2 + 7i
iii. z₃ = 5 (purely real)
iv. z₄ = 6i (purely imaginary)

b) Equality of Complex Numbers

Two complex numbers are equal if and only if their corresponding real and imaginary parts are
equal. If z₁ = a + bi and z₂ = c + di, then z₁ = z₂ if and only if a = c and b = d.

𝑖 = √−1

𝑖 2 = −1

𝑖 3 = 𝑖 ⋅ 𝑖 2 = 𝑖(−1) = −𝑖

𝑖 4 = (𝑖 2 )2 = (−1)2 = 1

𝑖 4𝑛 = (𝑖 2 )2𝑛 = (−1)2𝑛 = (−12 )𝑛 = (1)𝑛 = 1

Prove that 𝑖 4𝑛+1 = 𝑖

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 𝑖 4𝑛 = (𝑖 4 )𝑛 = 1𝑛 = 1

c) Arithmetic Operations on Complex Numbers

Let z₁ = a + bi and z₂ = c + di.

Addition: z₁ + z₂ = (a + c) + (b + d)i

Subtraction: z₁ - z₂ = (a - c) + (b - d)i

Multiplication: z₁ × z₂ = (ac - bd) + (ad + bc)i

Division:

𝒛𝟏 𝒂 + 𝒃𝒊
=
𝒛𝟐 𝒄 + 𝒅𝒊

(𝒂 + 𝒃𝒊)(𝒄 − 𝒅𝒊)
𝒄𝟐 + 𝒅𝟐

(𝒂𝒄 + 𝒃𝒅) + (𝒃𝒄 − 𝒂𝒅)𝒊

=
𝒄𝟐 + 𝒅𝟐

d) Conjugate and Modulus of a Complex Number

Conjugate: The conjugate of z = a + bi is given by z̄ = a - bi.

Example:

i. The conjugate of z = 3 + 4i is given by z̄ = 3 - 4i.

ii. The conjugate of z = -2 + 5i is given by z̄ = -2 - 5i.
iii. The conjugate of z = -6 -7i is given by z̄ = -6 + 7i.

Modulus: The modulus of z = a + bi is |𝒛| = √𝒂𝟐 + 𝒃𝟐

Example:

i. The modulus of z = 2 + 5i is |𝒛| = √𝟐𝟐 + 𝟓𝟐

ii. The modulus of z = -2 + 3i is |𝒛| = √−𝟏𝟐 + 𝟑𝟐
iii. The modulus of z = 7 - 10i is |𝒛| = √𝟕𝟐 + (−𝟏𝟎)𝟐

e) Representation on the Argand Diagram

The Argand diagram is a graphical representation of complex numbers. The horizontal axis
represents the real part, and the vertical axis represents the imaginary part. Each complex number z
= a + bi corresponds to the point (a, b) in the plane.

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Example: For z = 3 + 4i, the real part is 3 and the imaginary part is 4. The point (3, 4) is plotted on the
complex plane, with |z| = 5.

Activities
a) Classwork on Arithmetic with Complex Numbers:

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1. (4 + 3i) + (2 + 7i)
2. (5 + 4i) - (3 + 9i)
3. (3 + 2i)(1 - 4i)
4. (5 + 3i)/(2 - i)
5. Find the modulus and conjugate of (6 - 8i).

b) Visualizing Points in the Complex Plane:

1. Plot the following complex numbers: z₁ = 2 + 3i, z₂ = -1 + 4i, z₃ = -3 - 2i.

2. Measure their modulus using the distance formula.
3. Identify their arguments (angles from the real axis).

Summary
Concept Definition / Formula Example
Complex number z = a + bi 3 + 4i
Equality a = c, b = d 3 + 2i = 3 + 2i
Addition (a + c) + (b + d)i (2 + 3i) + (1 + 4i) = 3 + 7i
Subtraction (a - c) + (b - d)i (5 + 2i) - (3 + i) = 2 + i
Multiplication (ac - bd) + (ad + bc)i (1 + i)(1 - i) = 2

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 Division 𝑧1 (𝑎𝑐 + 𝑏𝑑) + (𝑏𝑐 − 𝑎𝑑)𝑖 3 + 2𝑖 3 + 2𝑖 1 + 𝑖
= = ⋅
𝑧2 𝑐 2 + 𝑑2 1−𝑖 1−𝑖 1+𝑖
(3 + 2𝑖)(1 + 𝑖)
=
(1 − 𝑖)(1 + 𝑖)
3 ⋅ 1 + 3 ⋅ 𝑖 + 2𝑖 ⋅ 1 + 2𝑖 ⋅ 𝑖
=
12 − 𝑖 2
3 + 3𝑖 + 2𝑖 + 2𝑖 2
=
1 − (−1)
3 + 5𝑖 − 2
=
2
1 + 5𝑖
=
2
1 5
= + 𝑖
2 2
Conjugate z̄ = a – bi 4 - 3i
Modulus |z| = √(a² + b²) |𝒛| = √𝟒𝟐 + 𝟑𝟐 = 5

Square root of Complex Numbers

Suppose you have a complex number:𝑧 = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖 and you want to find √𝑧.

Let √𝑧 = 𝑥 + 𝑦𝑖where (x) and (y) are real numbers.

Step 1: Square both sides

(𝑥 + 𝑦𝑖)2 = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖

(𝑥 + 𝑦𝑖) (𝑥 + 𝑦𝑖) = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖

Expanding the left-hand side:

𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑖 + (𝑦𝑖)2 = 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑖 since (𝑖 2 = −1).

So we get:

𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑖 = 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖

Step 2: Equate real and imaginary parts

𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡: 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = 𝑎
𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑡: 2𝑥𝑦 = 𝑏

Step 3: Solve the system

From (2xy = b):

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 𝑏
𝑦= (assuming 𝑥 ≠ 0)
2𝑥
Plug into ( 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 = 𝑎):
𝑏
𝑥 2 − (2𝑥)2 = 𝑎

𝑏2
𝑥2 − =𝑎
4𝑥 2
Multiply through by (4𝑥 2 ):

4𝑥 4 − 𝑏 2 = 4𝑎𝑥 2

4𝑥 4 − 4𝑎𝑥 2 − 𝑏 2 = 0

Divide by 4:

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𝑏2 2
𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥 − =0
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Let (X = 𝑥 2 ), then:

𝑏2
𝑋 2 − 𝑎𝑋 − =0
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This is a quadratic in (X):

𝑎 ± √𝑎2 + 𝑏 2
𝑋=
2

Take (𝑥 = ±√𝑋).Then

𝑏
𝑦=
2𝑥
Step 4: Final formula

𝑎 + √𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 𝑏 √−𝑎 + √𝑎2 + 𝑏 2

√𝑎 + 𝑏𝑖 = ± (√ + , 𝑖)
2 |𝑏| 2

where the sign of (y) matches the sign of (b).

Example: compute the square root of (3 + 4i). Draw these two square roots on the complex plane to
visualize them.

Solution:

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We want:

√3 + 4𝑖 = 𝑥 + 𝑦𝑖 where (𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ ℝ).

Step 1: Square both sides

(𝑥 + 𝑦𝑖)2 = 3 + 4𝑖

Expanding the left-hand side:

𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑖 + (𝑦𝑖)2 = 𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑖

So we have:

𝑥 2 − 𝑦 2 + 2𝑥𝑦𝑖 = 3 + 4𝑖

Step 2: Equate real and imaginary parts

𝑥2 − 𝑦2 = 3
{
2𝑥𝑦 = 4

From (2xy = 4), we get:

2
𝑥𝑦 = 2 ⟹ 𝑦 = (𝑥 ≠ 0)
𝑥

Step 3: Substitute (y) into the first equation

2
𝑥 2 − ( )2 = 3
𝑥
4
𝑥2 − =3
𝑥2
Multiply through by (𝑥 2 ):

𝑥 4 − 4 = 3𝑥 2

𝑥 4 − 3𝑥 2 − 4 = 0

Let (X = 𝑥 2 ), then:

𝑋 2 − 3𝑋 − 4 = 0

Factor or use the quadratic formula:

Where a=1, b=-3, c=-4

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 −𝑏 ± √𝑏 2 − 4𝑎𝑐
𝑋=
2𝑎

3 ± √9 + 16 3 ± 5
𝑋= =
2 2
So:

𝑋 = 4or𝑋 = −1

We take (𝑋 = 𝑥 2 = 4 ⟹ 𝑥 = ±2).
(The negative solution gives the other square root.)

Step 4: Find (y)

2 2
𝑦= = =1
𝑥 2
So one solution is:

√3 + 4𝑖 = 2 + 𝑖

The other square root is obtained by taking negatives:

√3 + 4𝑖 = −(2 + 𝑖) = −2 − 𝑖

Step 5: Final Answer

√3 + 4𝑖 = 2 + 𝑖or − 2 − 𝑖

Draw these two square roots on the complex plane to visualize them.

Do you want me to do that?

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Identities for Complex Numbers

For any two complex numbers ( z_1 ) and ( z_2 ), the following algebraic identities hold:

1. Square of a Sum

(𝑧1 + 𝑧2 )2 = 𝑧12 + 𝑧22 + 2𝑧1 𝑧2

Example:Let (𝑧1 = 1 + 2𝑖) 𝑎𝑛𝑑(𝑧2 = 3 − 𝑖). Then:

(𝑧1 + 𝑧2 )2 = ((1 + 2𝑖) + (3 − 𝑖))2
= (4 + 𝑖)2 = 16 + 8𝑖 − 1
= 15 + 8𝑖
2. Square of a Difference:
(𝑧1 − 𝑧2 )2 = 𝑧12 + 𝑧22 − 2𝑧1 𝑧2

3. Example: Using the same ( z_1 ) and ( z_2 ):

(𝑧1 − 𝑧2 )2 = ((1 + 2𝑖) − (3 − 𝑖))2
= (−2 + 3𝑖)2
= 4 − 12𝑖 − 9
= −5 − 12𝑖
4. Difference of Squares:
𝑧12 − 𝑧22 = (𝑧1 + 𝑧2 )(𝑧1 − 𝑧2 )

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5. Example:
𝑧12 − 𝑧22 = (1 + 2𝑖)2 − (3 − 𝑖)2
= (1 + 4𝑖 − 4) − (9 − 6𝑖 − 1)
= (−3 + 4𝑖) − (8 − 6𝑖)
= −11 + 10𝑖

(𝑧1 + 𝑧2 )(𝑧1 − 𝑧2 ) = (4 + 𝑖)(−2 + 3𝑖)

= −8 + 12𝑖 − 2𝑖 + 3𝑖 2
= −8 + 10𝑖 − 3
= −11 + 10𝑖
6. Cube of a Sum:
(𝑧1 + 𝑧2 )3 = 𝑧13 + 3𝑧12 𝑧2 + 3𝑧1 𝑧22 + 𝑧23

7. Example: Let (𝑧1 = 1 + 𝑖), (𝑧2 = 2 − 𝑖):

(1 + 𝑖 + 2 − 𝑖)3 = (3)3 = 27

𝑧13 + 3𝑧12 𝑧2 + 3𝑧1 𝑧22 + 𝑧23

= (1 + 𝑖)3 + 3(1 + 𝑖)2 (2 − 𝑖) + 3(1 + 𝑖)(2 − 𝑖)2 + (2 − 𝑖)3 = 27

8. Cube of a Difference:
(𝑧1 − 𝑧2 )3 = 𝑧13 − 3𝑧12 𝑧2 + 3𝑧1 𝑧22 − 𝑧23

9. Example: Using (𝑧1 = 1 + 𝑖) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 (𝑧2 = 2 − 𝑖):

(1 + 𝑖 − (2 − 𝑖))3 = (−1 + 2𝑖)3 = −1 − 11𝑖

𝑧13 − 3𝑧12 𝑧2 + 3𝑧1 𝑧22 − 𝑧23

= (1 + 𝑖)3 − 3(1 + 𝑖)2 (2 − 𝑖) + 3(1 + 𝑖)(2 − 𝑖)2 − (2 − 𝑖)3

= −1 − 11𝑖

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