María Longo García

3º Ingeniería Matemática UFV

Exercises 2 – The Qubit

Superposition

Exercise 2.3. Consider the complex number z = −3 − i.

a) Find R(z).
The real part of z is give by R(z) = -3

b) Find I(z).
The imaginary part of z is given by I(z) = -1

c) Plot z as a point in the complex plane.

The real and imaginary parts of z are represented on the horizontal and vertical axes,
respectively. Thus, we plot the point (-3,-1).

d) Write z in polar form reiθ . Hint: The angle should be between π and 3π /2 (i.e., 180º
and 270º ).
r = mod(z) ¿∨z∨¿ √ (−3 )2+ (−1 )2=√ 10
θ = arg(z)¿ arctan( )
−1
−3
=arctan ()
1
3
+π=
3π
4
(we add pi to keep it in the right quadrant)

3π
Therefore, z in polar form is: z=√ ( 10 )∗ei 4

e) Find z*.
The complex conjugate of z is z* = -3 + i

f) Find |z|.
¿ z∨¿ √ (−3 ) + (−1 ) =√ 10
2 2

g) Find |z|2.
2
√ 10 =10
 María Longo García
3º Ingeniería Matemática UFV
Measuring

Exercise 2.7. The following two states are opposite points on the Bloch sphere:

So, we can measure relative to them.

Now consider a qubit in the state

a) Write the qubit’s state in terms of |a⟩ and |b⟩.

1
2
√3
∨0 ⟩− ∨1 ⟩=
2
−i
2 ( ) 1
∨a ⟩+ ∨b ⟩
2 ()
b) If you measure the qubit in the basis {|a⟩, |b⟩}, what states can you get and with what
probabilities?

We can get either |a⟩ or |b⟩ as outcomes. The probabilities of getting these outcomes can
be calculated as follows:

P(¿ a ⟩)=¿ ( −i2 )⟨ a∨+( 12 ) ⟨ b|( 12 ∨0 ⟩− √23|1 ⟩)∨¿ ¿

2

2 2 ( ) ()
P(¿ a ⟩)=¿− ∗ √ + ∗ ∨¿2 ¿
i 3 1 i
2 2

1
P(¿ a ⟩)=
4

P(¿ b ⟩)=¿ (
−i 1 1 √3
)⟨ a∨+( )⟨ b∨( ∨0 ⟩− |1 ⟩ )∨ ¿
2
2 2 2 2

2 2 2 2() ( )
i i 1 √3 2
P(¿ b ⟩)=¿− ∗ + ∗ ∨¿

3
P(¿ b ⟩)=
4
 María Longo García
3º Ingeniería Matemática UFV
Bloch Sphere

Exercise 2.9. A qubit is in the state

a) Where on the Bloch sphere is this state? Give your answer in (θ,φ) coordinates.

1−i
α=
2 √2
β= √
3
2

θ=2 cos (|α |)

−1

φ= Arg
β
α ( )
|α|= |√|
1−i 1
=
2 2 2

Arg ( βα )=Arg ( 1−i ) 3

√3 = π

θ=2 cos−1 (|α |) =2cos−1 ( 12 )= π3

φ= Arg ( αβ )= π3

b)Sketch the point on the Bloch sphere.

 María Longo García
3º Ingeniería Matemática UFV
Quantum Gates

Exercise 2.11. Consider a map U that transforms the Z-basis states as follows:

Say |ψ⟩ = α|0⟩+β|1⟩ is a normalized quantum state, i.e., |α|2 +|β|2 = 1.

a) Calculate U|ψ⟩.

U |0 ⟩=
√ 3 |0 ⟩ + √3+ i ∨1 ⟩
2 4
U |1 ⟩ = √ |0 ⟩ − √
3+i 3+3 i
∨1 ⟩
4 4
U|ψ⟩ = U(α|0⟩ + β|1⟩)
= αU|0⟩ + β U|1⟩
= α(√3/2 |0⟩ + (√3+i)/4 |1⟩) + β(√(3+i)/4 |0⟩ - (√3+3i)/4 |1⟩)
= (√3/2 α + √(3+i)/4 β) |0⟩ + ((√3+i)/4 α - (√3+3i)/4 β) |1⟩

b) From your answer to (a), is U a valid quantum gate?

Explain your reasoning

To determine whether U is a valid quantum gate, we need to check whether it preserves

normalization and unitarity.

Normalization:

||U|ψ⟩||^2 = |√3/2 α + √(3+i)/4 β|^2 + |(√3+i)/4 α - (√3+3i)/4 β|^2

= (3/4)|α|^2 + (3+i)/8 αβ* + (3-i)/8 α*β + (3+i)/16|β|^2 + (3+3i)/16 βα* + (3-3i)/16
β*α + (3-i)/16|α|^2 + (3+3i)/16 αβ* + (3-3i)/16 α*β + (4+6i)/16|β|^2
= 1/2 (|α|^2 + |β|^2)

U preserves normalization.

Unitarity:
UT = [(√3/2)* (√(3+i)/4)*]
[((√3+i)/4)* - (√3+3i)/4*]
 María Longo García
3º Ingeniería Matemática UFV
UTU = [(√3/2)* (√(3+i)/4)*] [√3/2 (√(3+i)/4)]
[((√3+i)/4)* - (√3+3i)/4*] [(√3+i)/4 -(√3+3i)/4*]

= [(3/4 + (3+i)/8 + (3-i)/16) (-√(3+i)/8 + (√3+3i)/8 - (√3-i)/8 - (3+3i)/16)]

[(-√(3+i)/8 + (√3+3i)/8 - (√3-i)/8 - (3+3i)/16) (1/4 + (3+i)/16 + (3-3i)/16 + (4+6i)/16)]

= [(4+i)/2 0 ]
[0 (4+i)/2]

=I

U is unitary, and hence a valid quantum gate.