COMPLEX NUMBERS

We have seen that if the discriminant of a quadratic equation is negative, the equation has no real solution. For example, the equation x2 4 0 has no real solution. If we try to solve this equation, we get x 2 4 , so x 4 But this is impossible, since the square of any real number is positive. Thus, negative numbers dont have real square roots. To make it possible to solve all quadratic equations, mathematicians invented an expanded number system, called the complex number system. First they defined the new number i 1 2 This means i 1. A complex number is then a number of the form a bi , where a and b are real numbers. A complex number is an expression of the form a bi 2 where a and b are real numbers and i 1. The real part of this complex number is a and the imaginary part is b. Two complex numbers are equal if and only if their real parts are equal and their imaginary parts are equal. Examples: real part: 3 4i

imaginary part:

1 2i 2 3
7

real part: real part:

imaginary part: imaginary part:

6i

real part:

imaginary part:

Practice Find the real and imaginary part of the following complex numbers. 1. 7 3i 4 2.

2 3

A number such as 6i , which has a real part 0, is called a pure imaginary number . A real number like 7 can be thought of as a complex number with imaginary part 0. In the complex number system, every quadratic equation has solutions. The numbers 2i and 2i are solutions of x 2 4 because

2i 2

and

2i 2

Arithmetic Operations on Complex Numbers Complex numbers are added, subtracted, multiplied and divided just as we would any other number of the form a b c . The only difference we must keep in mind is that i 2 1. We define the sum, difference, and product of complex numbers as follows. Definition Addition a bi c di a c b d i Subtraction a bi c di a c b d i Multiplication a bi c di ac bd ad bci Examples Express the following in the form a bi . 1. 4 3i 5 2i 2. 6i 4 i 3. 7 i 4 2i 4. 3 4i 5 12i Description Add the real parts and the imaginary parts.

Subtract the real parts and the imaginary parts.

Multiply as a binomial using i 2 1.

5. i100