Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
MAM1000W
Tutorial 19 September 2012
1. Write the following complex numbers in Cartesian form (that is, in the form a + ib):
√ √ √ √
(a) (1 + 3i)(1 + 3i) (b) (1 +√ 3i)(1 − 3i)
1 1 + 3i
(c) (d) √
−2 − 3i 1 − 3i
2. (a) Plot the following points on an Argand diagram (the complex plane):
√ √
(i) 4i (ii) 1 + 3i (iii) 3 − i (iv) −2 − 2i.
(b) Find the distance from the origin of each of the numbers in (a). (It may help
you to think of complex numbers just as ordered pairs or points for this.)
(c) Find, for each of the numbers in (a), the angle that a line joining the number
to the origin makes with the positive real axis.
(d) Use your answers to (b) and (c) to write down the modulus-argument form of
the complex numbers in (a).
(e) Suppose that a complex number z is a distance 3 from the origin and that a
line joining it to the origin makes an angle of 23 π with the positive real axis.
Write z in the form a + ib.
(zz)2
3. Let z ∈ C. Simplify the expression as far as possible and then find its value
z|z 2 |
when z = 7 − 11i.
4. Find all the complex solutions of the equation
z2 + z + 1 = 0
in two ways:
(a) let z = x + iy where x, y ∈ R, and solve for x and y;
(b) use the quadratic formula.
Compare your answers.
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5. Two complex numbers, z and w, are shown on the Argand diagram below. Use the
position of these two numbers on the diagram to indicate where each of the following
complex numbers will lie on the same diagram:
(a) −z (b) w (c) 12 w (d) w + i (e) iw (f) w − z (g) zw
6. Sketch each of the following regions in the complex plane on separate Argand dia-
grams:
(a) {z ∈ C : 0 ≤ Re z < 1, Im z ≥ −3}
(b) {z ∈ C : Re z + Im z ≤ 2} [Hint: write z = x + iy, where x, y ∈ R.]
(c) {z ∈ C : 1 < |z − 1 + i| ≤ 2}
(d) {z ∈ C : |z − 4i| = |z|}
[Do this one in two ways: by interpreting the modulus as a distance, and by
writing z = x + iy and solving the resulting equation for x and y.]
(e) {z ∈ C : 1 < |z| ≤ 2 and an argument of z is in the interval [ π2 , π]}
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7. This question shows you how we can use the modulus-argument form of a
complex number and de Moivre’s theorem to simplify expressions.
In Question
√ 2(d)
√ you found the modulus-argument form of the complex numbers
1 + 3i and 3 − i.
Use your answer to find the Cartesian form of:
√ √
(1 + 3i)23 ( 3 − i)2 .
(Think how long it would take you to do this without modulus-argument form!)
8. This question uses the complex exponential function and shows that solving
equations involving such functions is a little more complicated than just “taking
logarithms”. In fact, since the complex exponential function is not one-to-one, we
cannot expect it to have an inverse. In the question we lead you through the steps
of solving such an equation.
We are going to solve the equation
ez+i = 4i (1)
(a) To make progress, it is important to express both sides of the equation in
modulus argument form. You have already found the modulus argument form
of 4i in Question 2(d).
Now let z = x + iy where x and y are real as usual; write down ez+i in terms
of x and y in the form ec eid where c and d are real numbers.
(b) Use your answer to (a) to determine the modulus and an argument of ez+i in
terms of x and y.
(c) Complete: Two complex numbers in modulus-argument form are equal if and
only if ...
(d) Use your answers so far to write down to equations that will enable you to solve
for x and y, and hence to find all complex numbers z satisfying the equation
(1).
(e) Use the same ideas to solve the equation ei2z = −2.
9. Below we make some statements about real and complex numbers. The statements
about the real numbers are all true (and well-known.) What about the same state-
ments for complex numbers? For each of the following statements say whether it is
true for complex z. If a statement is true, give a proof for it; if it is false, give a
counter-example.
For real x: For complex z:
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(a) If x = 0, then x = 0. (a) If z 2 = 0, then z = 0
(b) x2 = |x|2 (b) z 2 = |z|2
(c) |x| ≥ 0 (c) |z| ≥ 0
(d) x2 ≥ 0 for all real x. (d) z 2 ≥ 0 for all complex z.
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10. (a) Plot the complex number −1 + i on an Argand diagram.
(b) On the same diagram plot all the solutions of the equation
z 4 + 1 − i = 0.
(c) Write down all the solutions of this equation in modulus-argument form.
11. Solve the equation
z 6 − 2z 3 + 2 = 0
and then plot your solutions on an Argand diagram.
12. Find a quadratic function f (z) with real coefficients such that f (3 + i) = 0 and
f (0) = −10.
13. The complex number 2 + i is a zero of the polynomial
p(z) = 3z 3 − 14z 2 + 23z − 10.
Use this information to factorize 3x3 −14x2 +23x−10 into real linear and irreducible
quadratic factors. Explain carefully how you obtain your answer.