Complete Notes

Complex Number
Full Concept
Topics :
✦ Definition
✦ Algebra of Complex Number
✦ Conjugate & Properties
✦ Modulus & Properties
✦ Argument & Properties
✦ Polar Form of Complex Number
✦ Square Root of Complex Number
✦ De-Moivre’s Theorem & Properties
✦ Cube Roots of Unity & Properties
✦ Nth Roots of Unity & Properties
✦ Important Results to Remember
✦ Definition : A number of form x + iy , where x,y ∈R and i = −1 is
called complex number. Thus , the quantity ‘i’ is
called iota.
✦ A complex number usually denoted by ‘z’.

✦ Example : 2+3i , 2i , 5-4i etc.

✦ Important Point : Set of Real number is

proper subset of set
of complex number.
✦ Integral Power of iota :

𝑖 2 = −1 𝑖 3 = −𝑖 𝑖4 = 1

𝑖 𝑛 = 1 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 4
✦ Important Result :

1. The sum of four consecutive powers of i is always zero . i.e.

, 𝑖 𝑛 + 𝑖 𝑛+1 + 𝑖 𝑛+2 + 𝑖 𝑛+3 = 0

2. (1 + 𝑖)2 = 2𝑖 , (1 − 𝑖)2 = −2𝑖

1+𝑖 1−𝑖
3. =𝑖, = −𝑖
1−𝑖 1+𝑖
✦ Real and Imaginary Part of Complex Number :
z = x + iy then Re(z) = x and Im(z) = y
where Re = Real Part & Im = Imaginary part.

✦ Purely Real and Purely Imaginary Complex Number :

If Re(z) = 0 then z is called purely imaginary

complex number
Example : 2i , -3i , i etc.
If Im(z) = 0 then z is called purely real
complex number
Example : 2 ,3, 5 etc.
✦ Algebra of Complex Number :

1. Addition 2. Subtraction 3. Multiplication 4. Division

✦ Addition : If 𝑧1 = 𝑥1 + 𝑖𝑦1 & 𝑧2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑖𝑦2 be any two

complex numbers

𝑧1 + 𝑧2 = 𝑥1 + 𝑥2 + 𝑖 (𝑦1 + 𝑦2 ).

Example : 𝑧1 = 2 + 3i , 𝑧2 = 1 + 4i
𝑧1 + 𝑧2 = 3 + 7i
✦ Subtraction : If 𝑧1 = 𝑥1 + 𝑖𝑦1 & 𝑧2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑖𝑦2 be any two
complex numbers

𝑧1 − 𝑧2 = 𝑥1 − 𝑥2 + 𝑖 (𝑦1 − 𝑦2 ).

Example : 𝑧1 = 2 + 3i , 𝑧2 = 1 + 4i
𝑧1 − 𝑧2 = 1 - i
✦ Multiplication : If 𝑧1 = 𝑥1 + 𝑖𝑦1 & 𝑧2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑖𝑦2 be any two
complex numbers

𝑧1 . 𝑧2 = 𝑥1 𝑥2 − 𝑦1 𝑦2 + 𝑖(𝑥1 𝑦2 + 𝑥2 𝑦1 )
Example :
✦ Division : If 𝑧1 = 𝑥1 + 𝑖𝑦1 & 𝑧2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑖𝑦2 be any two
complex numbers

𝑧1 𝑥1 +𝑦1
= ( After Rationalisation we get Answer)
𝑧2 𝑥2 +𝑦2

Example :
✦ Important Points :

1. 0 = 0 + i0 is the identity element for addition,

2. 1 = 1 + i0 is the identity element for multiplication
3. The additive inverse of a complex number z = a + ib
is –z = -a – ib .
4. For every non-zero complex number z
, the multiplicative inverse of z is 1/z .
✦ Equality of Two Complex Number :

If 𝑧1 = 𝑥1 + 𝑖𝑦1 & 𝑧2 = 𝑥2 + 𝑖𝑦2 be any two complex numbers

are said to equal if and only if their real parts and imaginary
parts are separately equal . i .e.
𝑧1 = 𝑧2 implies that Re(𝑧1 ) = Re(𝑧2 ) & Im(𝑧1 ) = Im(𝑧2 )
✦ Important Note :

1. A complex number z = x + iy = 0 iff x = 0 , y = 0

2. The comples number do not posses the property of order
i.e . a + ib > (<) c + id is not defined.

For Example : 1 + 2i > 3 + 5i makes no Sense.

But One Important Case :

a + ib > c + id only one
condition if b = d = 0.
✦ Conjugate of a Complex Number :

If there exists a complex number z = a +ib , then its

conjugate is defined as 𝑧ҧ = a – ib.
e.g. Conjugate is obtained by just change the sign of i .

Geometrically , the conjugate of z is the reflection

or point image of z in the real axis.
✦ Properties of Conugate :

If z, 𝑧1 and 𝑧2 are existing complex numbers , then we have

the following results :

(i) 𝑧Ӗ = z
(ii) 𝑧1 + 𝑧2 = 𝑧ഥ1 + 𝑧ഥ2
(iii) 𝑧1 − 𝑧2 = 𝑧ഥ1 − 𝑧ഥ2
(iv) 𝑧1 𝑧2 = 𝑧ഥ1 𝑧ഥ2
𝑧 𝑧1
(v) ( 1) = , 𝑧2 ≠ 0.
𝑧2 𝑧2
(vi). 𝑧ҧ 𝑛 = 𝑧 𝑛
(vii). z + 𝑧ҧ = 2 Re(z) = 2 Re(𝑧)ҧ = Purely Real
(viii). z - 𝑧ҧ = 2i Im(z) = Purely Imaginary
(ix) . z𝑧ҧ = Purely Real
(x). 𝑧1 𝑧ഥ2 + 𝑧ഥ1 𝑧2 = 2Re(𝑧1 𝑧ഥ2 ) = 2Re(𝑧ഥ1 𝑧2 )
(xi). z - 𝑧ҧ = 0 i.e. z = 𝑧ҧ then z is purely real and vice-versa.
Im(z) = 0.
(xii). z + 𝑧ҧ = 0 i.e. z = - 𝑧ҧ then either z = 0 or z
is purely imaginary i.e. Re(z) = 0
(xiii). 𝑧1 = 𝑧2 then 𝑧ഥ1 = 𝑧ഥ2
(xiv). If w = f(z) then 𝑤 ഥ = f(𝑧ҧ ).
✦ Modulus of Complex Number :
If z = x+iy , then modulus or magnitude of z is
denoted by |z| = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 .
✦ Properties of Modulus :
1. |z| ≥ 0 → |z| = 0 iff z = 0 and |z| >0 iff z≠ 0.
2. |z| = |𝑧ҧ | = |-z| =|-𝑧ҧ | = |iz|
3. z𝑧ҧ = |𝑧 2 |
4. |𝑧1 𝑧2 | = |𝑧1 |.|𝑧2 |
In general |𝑧1 𝑧2 𝑧3 𝑧4 ….. 𝑧𝑛 | = |𝑧1 |.|𝑧2 |…..|𝑧𝑛 |
𝑧1 𝑧1
5. = , 𝑧2 ≠ 0.
𝑧2 𝑧2
6. 𝑧𝑛 = 𝑧 𝑛 n∈ 𝑁
7. 𝑧1 ± 𝑧2 2 = (𝑧1 ± 𝑧2 )(𝑧1 ∓ 𝑧2 )
or 𝑧1 2 + 𝑧2 2 ± (𝑧1 𝑧ഥ2 + 𝑧ഥ1 𝑧2 )
or 𝑧1 2 + 𝑧2 2 ± 2𝑅𝑒(𝑧1 𝑧ഥ2 )
 𝑧1 𝑧
8. 𝑧1 + 𝑧2 2 = 𝑧1 2 + 𝑧2 2 is purely imaginary or Re ( 1) = 0
𝑧2 𝑧2
9. Law of Parallelogram :
𝑧1 + 𝑧2 2 + 𝑧1 − 𝑧2 2 = 2{ 𝑧1 2 + 𝑧2 2 }
10. 𝑏𝑧1 + 𝑎𝑧2 2 + 𝑎𝑧1 − 𝑏𝑧2 2 = (𝑎2 + 𝑏 2 )( 𝑧1 2 + 𝑧2 2 ) where a,b∈ 𝑅
✦ Important Points :
1. -|z|≤Re(z) ≤ |z| , -|z| ≤ Im(z) ≤ |z|.
𝑧
2. =1
𝑧ҧ
3. z is unimodulus , if |z| =1
1
4. If |z| = 1 then 𝑧 −1 = 𝑧ҧ or 𝑧ҧ = .
𝑧
✦ Triangle Inequality :
1. 𝑧1 ± 𝑧2 ≤ 𝑧1 + 𝑧2

2. 𝑧1 − 𝑧2 ≥ 𝑧1 − 𝑧2

3. 𝑧1 − 𝑧2 ≤ | 𝑧1 − 𝑧2 |
✦ Important Value :

1+𝑖
1. The square root of i is ± .
2
1−𝑖
2. The square root of –i is ± .
2

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✦ Argument of a Complex number :
Let z = a + ib be any complex number. If this complex
number is represented geometrically by a point P , then
then angle made by the line OP with real axis is known as
argument or amplitude of z and is expressed as
𝑏
arg(z) = 𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 .
𝑎

Note : Argument of a complex number is not

unique.

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✦ Principle Value of Argument of a Complex number :
The value of 𝜃 of the argument , which satisfies the
inequality −𝜋 < 𝜃 ≤ 𝜋 is called the principal value of
argument.

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✦ Important Point (Note ) :
1. The argument of the complex number 0 is not defined.
2. The principal value of argument of a purely real number
is 0 if real number is positive and is 𝜋 if real number is
negative.
3. The principal value of argument of a purely
𝜋
imaginary number is if the imaginary part
2
−𝜋
is positive and is if the imaginary part
2
is negative.

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✦ Properties of Argument :

1. arg(𝑧1 𝑧2 ) = arg(𝑧1 ) + arg(𝑧2 )

𝑧1
2. arg = arg(𝑧1 ) - arg(𝑧2 )
𝑧2
3. arg(𝑧ҧ ) = - arg(z)
4. arg(𝑧1 𝑧ഥ2 ) = arg(𝑧1 ) - arg(𝑧2 )
𝑧
5. arg = 2 arg(z)
𝑧ҧ
6. arg(𝑧 𝑛 ) = n arg(z)
𝜋
7. arg(z-𝑧)ҧ = ±
2
8. arg(-z) = arg(z) ±𝜋

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 9. 𝑧1 𝑧ഥ2 + 𝑧ഥ1 𝑧2 = 2 |𝑧1 |.|𝑧2 |cos(𝜃1 − 𝜃2 ) , where 𝜃1 = arg(𝑧1 ) and
𝜃2 = arg(𝑧2 ) .
10. If 𝑧1 = 𝑧2 then |𝑧1 | = |𝑧2 | and arg(𝑧1 ) = arg(𝑧2 ).
11. | 𝑧1 + 𝑧2 | = |𝑧1 | + |𝑧2 | then arg(𝑧1 ) = arg(𝑧2 )
i.e. 𝑧1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑧2 are parallel.
𝜋
12. | 𝑧1 + 𝑧2 | = | 𝑧1 − 𝑧2 | then arg 𝑧1 − arg 𝑧2 = .
2

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13. If |𝑧1 | = |𝑧2 | and arg(𝑧1 ) + arg 𝑧2 = 0 then 𝑧1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑧2 are
conjugate to each other.
𝜋
14. arg(iz) = + arg(z)
2
𝜋
15. arg(-iz) = - + arg(z).
2

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✦ Polar Form of Complex Number :

We have 𝑒 𝑖𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 ( Euler Formula)

z can be expressed as z = r𝑒 𝑖𝜃 = r(𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 )
where r = |z| and 𝜃 = arg 𝑧 .

Polar form also known as Eulerian Representation

or Exponential form.

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✦ Important Note :

𝑒 𝑖𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑒 −𝑖𝜃 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

𝑒 𝑖𝜃 + 𝑒 −𝑖𝜃 = 2𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑒 𝑖𝜃 − 𝑒 −𝑖𝜃 = 2𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

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✦ DE’ MOIVRE’S THEOREM :

If n is any rational number , then

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑛 = cos 𝑛𝜃 + 𝑖 sin 𝑛𝜃.

This theorem is not valid when n is not

a rational number.

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✦ Important Note :

1. 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑛= cos 𝑛𝜃 − 𝑖 sin 𝑛𝜃.

2. 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 −𝑛 = cos 𝑛𝜃 − 𝑖 sin 𝑛𝜃.

3. 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 −𝑛 = cos 𝑛𝜃 + 𝑖 sin 𝑛𝜃.

𝜋 𝜋
4. 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 𝑛
= cos 𝑛 − 𝜃 + 𝑖 sin 𝑛 −𝜃 .
2 2
1
5. = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃−𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

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✦ Important Note :

1
x = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 and = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 − 𝑖 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑥
1 1
1. x + = 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 or x - = 2i sin 𝜃
𝑥 𝑥
1 1
2. 𝑥 𝑛 + = 2 cos 𝑛𝜃 or 𝑥 𝑛 − = 2𝑖 sin 𝑛𝜃
𝑥𝑛 𝑥𝑛

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✦ Cube Roots of Unity :

1
If z = 1 3

𝑧3 = 1 𝑧3 - 1 = 0
( z-1) (𝑧 2 + 𝑧 + 1) = 0
−1+ 3𝑖 −1− 3𝑖
z=1, ,
2 2

−1+ 3𝑖 −1− 3𝑖
The quantity = w and = 𝑤2
2 2
where w is called omega.

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✦ Properties of Cube roots of unity :

1. 1 + 𝑤 + 𝑤 2 = 0
2. 𝑤 3 = 1
0 , 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 3
3. 1 + 𝑤𝑛 + 𝑤 2𝑛 =ቊ .
3 , 𝑖𝑓 𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 3
4. The cube roots of unity form a G.P.
5. The imaginary cube roots of unity are square
of each other.
6. The imaginary cube roots of unity are
reciprocal to each other.

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7. The cube roots are of unity by , when represented on
complex plane , lie on vertices of an equilateral triangle
inscribed in a unit circle having centre at origin and one
vertex being on the positive real axis.
2𝜋 4𝜋
8. arg(w) = 120° = , arg(𝑤 2 ) = 240° = .
3 3
9. 𝑎 + 𝑏𝑤 + 𝑐𝑤 2 = 0 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎 = 𝑏 = 𝑐, 𝑖𝑓 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙.
10. The cube roots of -1 are -1 , −𝑤 , −𝑤 2 .
11. The sum of three consecutive power of w is
zero i.e. 𝑤 𝑛 + 𝑤 𝑛+1 + 𝑤 𝑛+2 = 0

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✦ nth roots of unity :

The nth roots of unity are given by the solution set of the
equation as follows :
𝑧 𝑛 = 1 = cos 0 + 𝑖 sin 0 = cos 2𝑘𝜋 + 𝑖 sin 2𝑘𝜋
z= 1 1/𝑛 = cos 2𝑘𝜋 + 𝑖 sin 2𝑘𝜋 1/𝑛

2𝑘𝜋 2𝑘𝜋
= cos + 𝑖 sin
𝑛 𝑛
where k = 0, 1,2,3,……, (n-1).

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✦ Properties of nth roots of unity :

1. The nth roots of unity can be expressed in the form of G.P.

with the common ratio 𝑒 𝑖2𝜋/𝑛 .
2. The sum of all n roots of unity is zero.
3. The product of all n roots of unity is −1 𝑛−1 .

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✦ Properties of the roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 ∶

1. All the roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 are in G.P with the common ratio 𝑒 𝑖2𝜋/𝑛
2. The sum of all roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 is always equal to zero.
3. The product of all the roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 = −1 𝑛−1 𝑧 .
4. The modulus of all roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 are equal
and each equal to |𝑧|1/𝑛 .
5. The argument of all the roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 are
2𝜋
in A.P. with the common difference .
𝑛

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✦ Properties of the roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 ∶

6. All the roots of 𝑧1/𝑛 lies on the circumference of a circle

whose centre is origin and radius equal to |𝑧|1/𝑛 .
Also , these roots divide the circle into n equal
parts and forms a polygon of n sides.

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✦ Important Points:

❖ Fourth roots of unity are -1, 1 , -i, i .

❖ The roots of the equation 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 + 1 = 0 are w and 𝑤 2 .
❖ The roots of the equation 𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 1 = 0 are −w and − 𝑤 2 .

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