Summary Notes

1 Locus in the Complex Plane 1.2 Perpendicular Bisector

Definition 1.1. The path which represents all possible
values of z satisfying a given condition is called the
locus of z.
Locus: The set of points that obey a specified
rule or condition.
Locus: The set of points z whose distance from
the fixed points z0 and z1 is always equal. The
set of such points form a line that divides the
line segment z0 z1 equally.
Mathematically: Let z = x + yi be any point
on the complex plane. Let z0 = a + bi and z1 =
p + qi. We have
|z − z0 | = |z − z1 |
|z − (a + bi)| = |z − (p + qi)|.

Geometry: Perpendicular bisector of the line

joining the points (a, b) and (p, q).

1.1 Circle

Locus: The set of points z whose distance from

a fixed point z0 is equal to r. z
Mathematically: Let z = x + yi and z0 = r r
a + bi. We have

|z − z0 | = r z0 z1
|z − (a + bi)| = r
|(x + iy) − (a + bi)| = r
|(x − a) + (y − b)i| = r
(x − a)2 + (y − b)2 = r 2 .

Geometry: Circle with centre (a, b) and ra-

dius r.
1.3 Half Line

z4 Locus: The set of points z that lie on the line

z3 extending from z0 and make an angle θ (in the
counterclockwise direction) with the half line
also extending from z0 in the positive x direc-
z2 tion.
r z1
z0
Geometry: A half line from the point (a, b)
and makes an angle θ with horizontal half line
extending from z0 in the positive x direction.
Note that the set do not include z0 .
 Mathematically: Let z = x + yi be any point
z
on the complex plane. Let z0 = a + bi. We have

arg(z − z0 ) = θ α
θ
arg((x − a) + (y − b)i) = θ. β
z0 z1
!
y−b
tan−1 =θ Remark 1.2. It is important to note that the angles
x−a subtended at the circumference of a circle by a chord
y−b of that cirlce are all equal.
tan θ =
x−a
y = (tan θ)x + b − a(tan θ).
[Equation of a line]

z3
z2
z1
θ
z0

1.4 Arc of Circle

Locus: Let z be the point of intersection of half

lines entended from two distinct fixed points z0
and z1 . The set of such points form an arc of a
circle that passes through the points z0 and z1 .
Geometry: A points on a arc of a circle with a
chord joining the points z0 and z1 .

Mathematically: Let z = x + yi be any point

on the complex plane. Let z0 = a + bi and z1 =
p + qi. We have
!
z − z1
arg =θ
z − z0
arg(z − z1 ) − arg(z − z0 ) = θ.

Let

arg(z − z0 ) = β and arg(z − z1 ) = α.

Then
θ =α−β