Complex Numbers

z = x + iy

Natural Numbers

N = {1, 2, 3, }

zero

{0}

Whole Numbers

Negative Integers

W = { 0, 1, 2, 3, } { -1, -2, -3, }

Fractions
Z = { , -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, } eg, 1 , 5 , 17 ,...
2 8 3
Integers

Rational
Numbers
a

Q = { : a Z, b Z, b 0}
b

Irrational Numbers

Real Numbers R Imaginary numbers

Complex numbers C

Imaginary numbers
Square roots of negative numbers are called
imaginary numbers.
4
1
Examples: 4 , 5 , , ,...
9
2

The letter i is used to represent

So imaginary numbers are written as

2
1
2i , 5i , i , i ,...
3
2

Imaginary numbers
Properties

of i: i 1
2

i 1 1
3

2 2

i i i i

i i i (1)(1) 1
i i ii

Complex numbers
A

complex number, z, is the sum of a real

part, x, and an imaginary part, yi.
z = x + yi
The set of complex numbers can be
denoted as
C ={z: z = x + yi, x, y R}

Algebraic operations
on complex numbers

Addition and subtraction:

Add or subtract the real parts, then add or subtract the
imaginary parts

Let z1= x1+ y1i

Then

and

and z2= x2+ y2i.

z1+ z2 = (x1+ y1i) + (x2+ y2i)
= (x1 + x2) + (y1 + y2)i
z1- z2 = (x1+ y1i) - (x2+ y2i)
= (x1 - x2) + (y1 - y2)i

Algebraic operations
on complex numbers

Multiplication:
Expand as in an ordinary algebraic expression.

Let z1= x1+ y1i

Then

and z2= x2+ y2i.

i2 = - 1
z1z2 = (x1+ y1i)(x2+ y2i)
= x1x2 + x1 y2i + y1ix2 + y1i y2i
= (x1x2 - y1 y2) + (x1 y2 + x2y2)i

Algebraic operations
on complex numbers
A

special case of multiplication:

(a + bi)(a bi)
= a2 (a)(bi) + (bi)(a) (bi)2
= a2 b2i2
This is a real
= a2 + b2
number!

+ bi) and (a bi) are complex conjugates.

If z = a + bi, then its conjugate is denoted by
z* = a bi.
(a

Algebraic operations
on complex numbers
Division:

Let z1= x1+ y1i and z2= x2+ y2i.

z1
x y1i
1
z2 x2 y2 i
( x1 y1i ) ( x 2 y 2 i )

( x2 y2 i) ( x2 y2i)
( x1 x 2 y1 y 2 ) ( x 2 y1 x1 y 2 )i

x 22 y 22

x1 x 2 y1 y 2 x 2 y1 x1 y 2

x2 y2 x2 y2
2
2
2
2

Algebraic operations
on complex numbers
Note

that the sum, the difference, the product

and the quotient of two complex numbers is
another complex number.
If z1, z2 C, then
z1+ z2 C,
z1- z2 C,
z1 z2 C,
and z1 z2 C.

Equal Complex Numbers

Let z1= x1+ y1i and z2= x2+ y2i.
If z1 = z2,
then x1+ y1i = x2+ y2i,

x1- x2 = y2i - y1i

x1- x2 = (y2 - y1)i
It is not possible that a real number is equal to
an imaginary number, unless
x1- x2 = 0 and
y 2 - y 1= 0
x1 = x2
and
y2 = y 1

Equal Complex Numbers

Let z1= x1+ y1i

and z2= x2+ y2i.

z1 = z2 if and only if x1 = x2 and y2 = y1.

z1 = z2 x1 = x2 and y2 = y1.

The Argand Diagram

Similar to the coordinate
plane.
The x-axis is now the real
axis.
The y-axis is now the
imaginary axis.
A complex number a + bi is
represented by the point
P(a, b)

y (the imaginary axis)

P(a, b)

a x (the real axis)

Modulus and Argument

Given the complex number
z = x + yi.
The modulus of the complex
number z is | z | x 2 y 2

P(x, y)

This is the same as the

mod z | z | x 2 y 2
distance OP.
The argument of the
y
complex number z is , the
tan
x
angle of inclination OP with
1 y
arg
z

tan
the real axis.
x

Modulus and Conjugates

If

z = x + yi, then mod z | z | x 2 y 2

The
zz*

conjugate of z is z* = x yi.

= (x + yi)(x yi) = x2 + y2.

Thus,

zz* = |z|2.