The Complex Number System

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Sharp Tutor
We will be defining complex numbers. an introduction to iota and its use in complex numbers.
1. The Complex Number System
1. Let a and b be real numbers with a  0.
There is a real number r that satisfies the
equation b
ax + b = 0; r  .
a
The equation ax + b = 0 is a linear equation
in one variable.
2. 2. Let a, b, and c be real numbers with
a  0. Does there exist a real
number r which satisfies the
equation 2
ax  bx  c 0 ?
Answer: Not necessarily; sometimes
“yes”, sometimes “no”.
2
ax  bx  c 0
The equation
is a quadratic equation in one variable.
3. 2
1. x  5 x  6 0; roots : r1 2, r2 3.
2
2. x  2 x  5 0; no real roots!
3. Simple case:
2
x  1 0; no real roots
4. The imaginary number i
DEFINITION: The imaginary number i
is a root of the equation
2
x  1 0.
(– i is also a root of this equation.)
ALTERNATE DEFINITION: i2 =  1 or
i   1.
5. The Complex Number System
DEFINITION: The set C of complex
numbers is given by
C = {a + bi| a, b  R}.
NOTE: The set of real numbers is a subset
of the set of complex numbers; R  C,
a = a + 0i for every a  R.
6. Some terminology
Given the complex number z = a + bi.
•The real number a is called the real
part of z.
•The real number b is called the
imaginary part of z.
•The complex number z a  bi
is called the conjugate of z.
7. Arithmetic of Complex Numbers
Let a, b, c, and d be real
(a  bi )  (c  di ) (a  c)  (b  d )i
(a  bi)  (c  di ) (a  c)  (b  d )i
(a  bi)(c  di ) (ac  bd )  (ad  bc)i
8. a  bi a  bi c  di
 
c  di c  di c  di
(ac  bd )  (bc  ad )i
 2 2
c d
ac  bd bc  ad
 2 2 2 2i
c d c d
2 2
provided c  d 0
9. Field Axioms
The set of complex numbers C satisfies
the field axioms:
•Addition is commutative and associative,
0 = 0 + 0i is the additive identity,  a bi is
the additive inverse of a + bi.
•Multiplication is commutative and
associative, 1 = 1 + 0i is the multiplicative
identity, a b
 i is the
a2  b2 a2  b2
multiplicative inverse of a + bi.
10. • the Distributive Law holds. That is,
if , , and  are complex numbers, then
( + ) =  + 
11. “Geometry” of the Complex Number
A complex number is a number of the
form a + bi, where a and b are real
numbers.
If we “identify” a + bi with the ordered
pair of real numbers (a,b) we get a point
in a coordinate plane – which we call the
complex plane.
12. The Complex Plane
13. Absolute Value of a Complex Number
Recall that the absolute value of a real
number a is the distance from the point a
(on the real line) to the origin 0.
The same definition is used for complex
14. 2 2
| a  bi |  a  b
15. Fundamental Theorem of Algebra
A polynomial of degree n  1
n n 1 2
an x  an  1 x    a2 x  a1 x  a0
has exactly n (complex) roots.