Revision Complex Numbers
Revision Complex Numbers
1.1
Some definitions
Suppose that z is a complex number. Let z = a + ib. The real part of z, written Re(z), is a. The imaginary part of z, written Im(z), is b. The complex conjugate of z, written z* or z , is z* = a ib. Example 1: Let z = 5 2i, w = -2 + i and u = 7i. Then: Re(z) = 5 Im(z) = -2 z* = 5 + 2i Re(w) = -2 Im(w) = 1 w* = -2 i.
Re(u) = 0
Im(u) = 7
u* = -7i.
1.2
Example 2: Solve the quadratic equation 2 x 2 + 4 x + 5 = 0 , giving your answers as complex numbers in surd form. Solution: Using the quadratic formula:
x= 4 16 4 2 5 4 24 = 4 4 4 i 24 4 2 6 i = = 4 4
6 2
i or x = 1
6 2
i.
Notice that the two solutions are complex conjugates of each other. The solutions form a conjugate pair. This leads to this very important result: Consider the equation ax 2 + bx + c = 0 where a, b and c are real numbers. If the equation has complex roots, then the two roots are always conjugates of each other. Note: If a quadratic equation has any complex coefficients then this result doesnt apply. Example: If z = 1 - i is one solution of the quadratic equation z 2 2 z + 2 = 0 , then the second solution must be the complex conjugate (as the quadratic has real coefficients). So the second solution is z = 1 + i.
Two complex numbers are added or subtracted by collecting together their real and imaginary parts.
( x + iy ) + (u + iv) = ( x + u ) + i ( y + v) ( x + iy ) (u + iv) = ( x u ) + i ( y v)
Example: If z = 4 + 2i and w = 3 i, then z + w = (4 + 2i) + (3 i) = 7 + i z w = (4 + 2i) (3 i) = 1 + 3i (being careful with the negative signs!)
2.2
Multiplying
Complex numbers can be multiplied using the general method for expanding brackets. Examples: (2 + 5i)(4 3i) = 8 6i + 20i 15i2 = 8 6i + 20i 15(-1) = 23 + 14i (3 + 2i)2 = (3 + 2i)(3 + 2i) = 9 + 6i + 6i + 4i2 = 9 + 12i + 4(-1) = 5 + 12i Remember: i2 = -1
2.3
Dividing
To divide complex conjugates, you multiply through by the complex conjugate of the denominator: Example: If z = 3 i and w = 1 2i, then
zw= 3i 1 2i 3 i 1 + 2i = 1 2i 1 + 2i 3 + 6i i 2i 2
1 + 2i 2i 4i 5 + 5i = 5
(as i2 = -1)
Therefore:
z w =1+ i
Note: When a complex number is multiplied by its complex conjugate the answer is always purely a real number. To show this, suppose z = x + iy. Then zz* = (x + iy)(x iy) = x2 2ixy + 2ixy i2y2 = x2 + y2 Worked examination question: a) Express in the form a + ib, (i) (3 + i)2 (ii) (2 + 4i)(3 + i). b) The quadratic equation
z 2 (2 + 4i ) z + 8i 6 = 0
has roots z1 and z 2 . i) Verify that z1 = 3 + i is a root of the equation. ii) By considering the coefficients of the quadratic, write down the sum of the roots; iii) Explain why z1*, the complex conjugate of z1, is not a root of the quadratic; iv) Find the other root, z2, in the form a + ib. Solution:
a)
(i) (ii)
Remember: i2 = -1
b) (i) We substitute z = 3 + i into the expression z 2 (2 + 4i) z + 8i 6 to check that it gives an answer of 0. (3 + i)2 (2 + 4i)(3 + i) + 8i - 6 = 8 + 6i (2 + 14i) + 8i 6 (using the results from (a)) = 8 + 6i 2 14i + 8i 6 = 0 + 0i = 0 (as required) (ii) (iii) In a quadratic equation, the sum of roots is given by the expression b/a. So here the sum of the roots is (2 + 4i) (since b = -(2 + 4i) and a = 1) In a quadratic equation with real coefficients, any complex roots form a conjugate pair. However, this quadratic does not have real coefficients so the roots are not complex conjugates of each other. From (ii), z1 + z2 = 2 + 4i So 3 + i + z2 = 2 + 4i i.e. z2 = 2 + 4i (3 + i) = -1 + 3i.
1+ i , find z in the form a + ib. 1 2i
(iv)
Examination Question 2:
z1 = 3 + 4i
z2 = 1 + 2i
Express z1 z2 and
Examination Question 5 (a) Show that (3 i)2 = 8 6i. (b) The quadratic equation az2 + bz + 10i = 0, where a and b are real, has a root 3 i. (i) Show that a = 3 and find the value of b. (ii) Determine the other root of the equation, giving your answer in the form p + iq. (Hint for (ii): Use the fact that the sum of the roots in any quadratic is b/a).
2.4
Two complex numbers are equal to each other if and only if their real parts are equal and their imaginary parts are equal, i.e If z = x + iy and w = u + iv, then z = w if and only if x = u and y = v.
2.5
Linear equations can be solved by substituting z = x + iy. Example 1: Solve 4z 2 + 5i = 6 7i Solution: Let z = x + iy. Then: 4(x + iy) 2 + 5i = 6 7i 4x + 4iy 2 + 5i = 6 7i (4x 2) + (4y + 5)i = 6 7i Therefore, comparing real and imaginary parts: 4x 2 = 6 i.e. x = 2 4y + 5 = -7 i.e. y = -3
(expanding bracket)
So the solution to the original equation must be z = 2 3i. Example 2: Find z when 2z - 5z* = 9 + 14i. Solution: Let z = x + iy. Then z* = x iy. So: 2(x + iy) 5(x iy) = 9 + 14i 2x + 2iy 5x + 5iy = 9 + 14i i.e. -3x + 7iy = 9 + 14i. Comparing real and imaginary parts, we see that x = -3 and y = 2. So the solution is z = -3 + 2i. Example 3: Solve (4 + 2i)z + (3 2i) = 9 4i Solution: Write z = x + iy. (4 + 2i )( x + iy ) + (3 2i ) = 9 4i Then So (4 x + 4iy + 2ix + 2i 2 y ) + (3 2i ) = 9 4i (4 x 2 y + 4iy + 2ix) + (3 2i ) = 9 4i i.e.
(4 x 2 y + 3) + i (4 y + 2 x 2) = 9 4i
(using i2 = -1)
Collecting the real and imaginary terms together on the left hand side: Comparing real and imaginary parts on both sides, we get the equations: 4x 2y + 3 = 9i.e. 4x 2y = 6 or 2x y = 3 (1) and 4y + 2x 2 = -4 i.e. 2x + 4y = -2 or x + 2y = -1 Equations (1) and (2) can be solved simultaneously: 5x = 5 (2(1) + (2)) i.e. x=1 From equation (1), y = 2x 3 = 2 3 = -1.
(2)
Therefore the solution to the equation is z = 1 i. Alternative solution: The equation to be solved is (4 + 2i)z + (3 2i) = 9 4i So (4 + 2i)z = (9 4i) (3 -2i) = 6 - 2i Therefore
z=
6 2i 6 2i 4 2i = 4 + 2i 4 + 2i 4 2i 24 12i 8i 4 20 20i z= = 16 + 4 20
Worked examination style question It is given that z = x + iy and that z* is the complex conjugate of z. a) Express 2z 3z* in the form p + qi. b) Find the value of z for which 2z 3z* = -5 + 15i
Solution: If z = x + iy, then z* = x iy. a) So 2z 3z* = 2(x + iy) 3(x iy) = 2x + 2iy 3x + 3iy = -x + 5iy. b) If then . So 2z 3z* = -5 + 15i -x + 5iy = -5 + 15i x = 5 and y = 3.
Examination style question: Given that (3 2i)(x + 5i) = y + 11i where x and y are real numbers: a) find two equations for x and y; b) find the values of x and y.
Examination Question 1 It is given that z = x + iy and that z* is the complex conjugate of z. a) Express z + 2z* in the form p + qi. b) Find the value of z for which z + 2z* = 9 + 2i.
Examination Question 2: It is given that z = x + iy, where x and y are real numbers. a) Write down, in terms of x and y, an expression for z*, the complex conjugate of z. b) Find, in terms of x and y, the real and imaginary parts of 2z iz* c) Find the complex number z such that 2z iz* = 3i.
Examination question 3: (a) (i) Calculate (2 + i 5)( 5 i) . (ii) Hence verify that 5 i is a root of the equation
(2 + i 5) z = 3z *
where z* is the complex conjugate of z. (b) The quadratic equation x2 + px + q = 0 in which the coefficients p and q are real, has a complex root 5 i . (i) (ii) Write down the other root of the equation. Find the sum and the product of the two roots of the equation.
Examination question 4: Solve the simultaneous equations iz + 2x = 1 z (1 + i)w = i giving your answers for z and w in the form a + ib.
2.6
One particular more difficult problem that occasionally occurs in FP1 examinations is to find the square root of a complex number. You should be prepared in case it comes up in your exam!! Example: Find the square roots of 9 12i. Solution: Let a + bi be a square root of 9 12i, where a and b are real numbers. Then (a + bi)2 = 9 12i. So: (a + bi)(a + bi) = 9 12i i.e. a2 + abi + abi + b2i2 = 9 12i i.e. a2 b2 + 2abi = 9 12i. Comparing real and imaginary parts, we get two equations: a2 b2 = 9 and ab = -6 From equation , we get b =
6 . a 6 =9 a 36 a2 2 = 9 a a 4 36 = 9a 2
2
a4 9a2 36 = 0
If a = 2 3, then b =
Therefore the square roots of 9 12i are 2 3 3i and 2 3 + 3i . Note: All questions about finding the square root of a complex number can be solved using the same method. Examination question: Find the roots of the equation z2 = 21 20i. Hint: Remember to put z = a + bi.
Example: Plot the complex numbers z1 = 4 + 2i, z2 = 3 i, z3 = -2 + 3i, z4 = -1 3i and z5 = i on an Argand diagram.
imaginary axis z3 3 2 1 2 1 1 2 z4 3 z5 real axis z1
3 z2
5 4 3 1 2 2 1 3
5 4 3 2 1 1 2
Example 3: Let z = 3 + 4i and w = 2 2i. Show z, w and z + w on an Argand diagram. Solution: z + w = 5 + 2i.
Imaginary 4 3 2 1 o 1 2 w 1 2 3 4 5 Real z+w z
Notice that the points representing the origin, z, w and z + w form a parallelogram. General result: If complex numbers z, w and z + w are represented by points Z, W and S in an 6 4 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 2 Argand diagram, then OZSW is a parallelogram. Example 4: Let z = 3 + 4i and w = 2 2i. Show z, w and z - w on an Argand diagram. Solution: z w = 1 + 6i.
Imaginary 6 4 2 z-w
0.5 2
1.5
2.5
Real
Notice this general result: If the complex numbers z and w are represented in an Argand diagram by points Z and W, then the translation which takes W to Z represents the complex number z w.
Examination question:
3 Given that z1 = 1 + 2i and z2 = 5 + 4 i , write z1z2 and 5
z1 on an Argand diagram. z2 z1 In the diagram, the origin and the points representing z1 z2 , , z3 are the vertices of a rhombus. Find z2
3.2
b |z| arg(z) a
z = a + ib
Real
The modulus of z, written |z|, is the distance of z from the origin. Therefore: | z |= a 2 + b 2 . The argument of a complex number z is the angle that the line joining O to z makes with the positive real axis. Anticlockwise rotation is positive and clockwise rotation is negative. The argument is usually measured in radians and is chosen so that - < arg(z) . Example: a) b) c) d) e) f) Find the modulus and argument of these complex numbers: 2 + 7i 5 2i -4 + 3i -2 3i -5 3i
i.e. b)
= 1.29 radians
Im g a a in ry 5 -2 Ra el
i.e. = -0.381 radians (it is negative as the number is below the axis).
c)
| - 4 + 3i | = (4)2 + 32 = 5 arg(-4 + 3i) is the angle shown on the diagram. To find it, it is easiest to first find angle :
tan( ) =
3 4
-4
Im g a a in ry 3 a (z rg ) Ra el
= 0.644
d)
|-2 3i| = (2)2 + (3) 2 = 13 arg(-2 3i) is the angle shown on the diagram. As -2-3i is below the real axis, the argument will be negative. It is simplest to initially find angle :
tan( ) =
3 2
-2
-3
Ra el a (z) rg
= 0.983
Im g a a in ry 3 Ra el
0.983 = 2.16 radians. Therefore arg(-2 3i) = -2.16 radians. e) f) |-5| = 5 arg(-5) = rads |3i| = 3 arg(3i) = rads
-5
3.3
Loci
Situation 1: |z| = k Since |z| denotes the distance in an Argand diagram that a complex number is from the origin, the loci of points satisfying the relationship |z| = k is a circle centre the origin, radius k.
Imaginary k
Real
Related loci are: * |z| < k the inside of a circle radius k, centre O (not including the circle circumference);
Imaginary k
(the boundary is shown with a dotted line as it does not form part of the locus.)
k Real
* |z| k
Real
Situation 2: |z a| = k Since |z w| represents the distance between the two complex numbers z and w on an Argand diagram, the loci of points satisfying the relation |z a| = k is a circle centre the complex number a and radius k.
Imaginary
k a Real
Related loci are: * |z - a| < k the inside of a circle radius k, centre a (not including the circle circumference); * |z a| k the outside of a circle radius k, centre a (including the circumference). Situation 3: |z a| = |z b| The points satisfying the relation |z a| = |z b| will be the complex numbers that are equidistant from the complex numbers a and b. So the locus consists of the perpendicular bisector of the line segment joining complex numbers a and b.
Imaginary
Likewise the locus of points satisfying the relationship |z a| < |z b| consists of points closer to a than to b. Situation 4: arg(z) =
The points satisfying this relationship consist of a half-line emanating from the origin making an angle with the positive real axis.
Situation 5: arg(z a) = The required locus here is a half-line this time emanating from a, making an angle with the (positive) horizontal direction:
Im aginary
R eal
Example: Sketch the loci satisfying these equations: a) |z 1| = 2 b) |z 2 + i| > 1 c) |z 3| = |z 1 i| d) |z| = |z + 2i| e) arg(z 2) = /3 f) arg(z 2 i) = -/4. Solution: a) The required locus is a circle centre 1, radius 2.
-1 2
Imaginary
b) First we re-write the locus into the form |z a| > 1: We get: |z (2 i)| > 1. This is the locus of points outside a circle centre 2 i, radius 1.
2 2 -1
required locus
|z 3| = |z (1 + i)|. So the required locus is the perpendicular bisector of the line segment joining the complex numbers 3 and 1 + i:
d) The equation |z| = |z + 2i| represents the locus of points that are equidistant from the origin O and Imaginary the complex number 2i:
Real required locus -2
3 2
f) The equation arg(z 2 i) = -/4 can be rewritten as arg(z (2 + i)) = -/4. This locus is shown on the diagram:
1 2 4
Examination question 1: Two loci, L1 and L2, in the Argand diagram are defined by the following equations:
L1 : | z + 2 3i |= 1; L2 : arg( z 4) = 1 . 2
a) Sketch the two loci on one Argand diagram; b) Find the smallest possible value of |z1 z2|, where the points z1 and z2 lie on the loci L1 and L2 respectively.
Examination Question 2: a) On the same Argand diagram, sketch the loci of points satisfying: (i) |z + 3 + i| = 5; (ii) arg(z + 3) = 3 . 4 b) (i) From your sketch, explain why there is only one complex number satisfying both equations. (ii) Verify that this complex number is -7 4i. [Hint: To verify the last part, you need to check that the number -7 4i satisfies both equations].
Examination question 3: a) Sketch on one Argand diagram: (i) the locus of points satisfying |z i| = |z 2|; (ii) the locus of points satisfying arg(z i) = 1 . 4 (b) Shade on your diagram the region in which |z i| |z 2| and arg( z i ) 2 4
a) b) c)
(i) Express z2 in the form a + ib. (ii) Find the modulus and argument of z2. Label the points representing z1 and z2 on an Argand diagram. On the same Argand diagram sketch the locus of points z satisfying (i) |z z1| = |z z2|; (ii) arg(z - z1) = arg(z2).
Examination question (OCR May 2005): The complex numbers z1 and z2 are such that z1 = 1 i and z2 = 3 + i . (i) (i) Find
z1 in the form x + iy, where x and y are exact real numbers. z2
Find the exact modulus and argument (in terms of ) of z1 and z2.
Self-review:
Syllabus
Understand the idea of a complex number, recall the meaning of the terms real part, imaginary part, modulus, argument, conjugate, and use the fact that two complex numbers are equal if and only if both real and imaginary parts are equal; Carry out operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of two complex numbers; Be able to use the result that, for a polynomial equation with real coefficients, any non-real roots occur in conjugate pairs; Represent complex numbers geometrically by means of an Argand diagram, and understand the geometrical effects of conjugating a complex number and of adding and subtracting two complex numbers; Find the two square roots of a complex number; Illustrate simple equations and inequalities involving complex numbers by means of loci in an Argand diagram, e.g. |z a|< k, |z a| = | z b|, arg(z a) = .
Self-review