MATH 1300 Problem Set: Complex Numbers

SOLUTIONS
19 Nov. 2012

1. Evaluate the following, expressing your answer in Cartesian form (a + bi):

(a) (1 + 2i)(4 − 6i)2

(1+2i) (4 − 6i)2 = (1+2i)(−20−48i) = −20−48i−40i−96i2 = 76 − 88i

| {z }
42 −48i+36i2

(b) (1 − 3i)3

(1−3i)3 = (1−3i) (1 − 3i)2 = (1−3i)(−8−6i) = −8−6i+24i+18i2 = −26 + 18i

| {z }
1−6i+9i2

(c) i(1 + 7i) − 3i(4 + 2i)

i + 7i2 − 12i − 6i2 = i − 7 − 12i + 6 = −1 − 11i

2. Solve the following using the quadratic formula, and check your answers:

(a) z 2 + 2z + 2 = 0

√
−2 ± −4 −2 ± 2i
z= = = −1 ± i
2 2
(b) z 2 − z + 1 = 0

√ √ √
1± −3 1±i 3 1 3
z= = = ±i
2 2 2 2

3. Evaluate the following, expressing your answer in Cartesian form (a + bi):

i
(a)
1+i

i 1−i i+1 1 1
· = 2 2
= + i
1+i 1−i 1 +1 2 2

2
(b)
(1 − i)(3 + i)

2 2 2 4 + 2i 8 + 4i 2 1
= = · = 2 2
= + i
3 + i − 3i + 1 4 − 2i 4 − 2i 4 + 2i 4 +2 5 5
 1 − 2i 2 + i
(c) −
3 + 4i 5i

1 − 2i 3 − 4i 2 + i −i −5 − 10i 1 − 2i  1 2   1 2  2
· − · = 2 2
− = − − i − − i = −
3 + 4i 3 − 4i 5i −i 3 +4 5 5 5 5 5 5

(d) (1/i)2509

1 1 1 1 1
(1/i)2509 = = = = = = −i
i2509 i·i 2508 4
i · (i ) 627 i·1627 i

4. Solve the following systems of linear equations:


ix1 − ix2 = −2
(a)
2x1 + x2 = i

You could use Gaussian elimination. Or just use a matrix inverse:

     −1       
i −i −2 i −i −2 1 1 i −2 i −3
x= =⇒ x = = =−
2 1 i 2 1 i 3i −2 i i 3 3

=⇒ x1 = i, x2 = −i

x1 + x2 = 2
(b)
x1 − x2 = 2i

You could use a matrix inverse as above. Or use Gaussian elimination:

   
1 1 2 R2 −R1 1 1 2
−−−−→
1 −1 2i 0 −2 2i − 2

x2 = 2i−2
−2 = 1 − i
=⇒
x1 = 2 − x1 = 2 − (1 − i) = 1 + i

5. Evaluate the following by first converting to polar form (Reiθ ). Express your answer in
Cartesian form (a + bi):

(a) (1 + i)12

√ 12 √
(1 + i)12 = 2ei 4 = ( 2)12 ei3π = 26 · (−1) = −64
π

(b) (i)1/3

 1/3 √
1/3 i π2 i π6 π π 3 1
i = e =e = cos + i sin = + i
6 6 2 2
6. Find every complex root of the following. Express your answer in Cartesian form (a + bi):

(a) z 3 = i

2π
z 3 = ei( 2 +n2π) =⇒ z = ei( 2 +n2π)/3 = ei( 6 +n )
π π π
3

√
i π6 π π 3 1
n=0: z=e = cos 6 + i sin 6 = + i
2 2
√
5π 3 1
n = 1 : z = ei 6 = cos 5π 5π
6 + i sin 6 = − + i
2 2
3π
n = 2 : z = ei 2 = cos 3π 3π
2 + i sin 2 = −i

(b) z 3 = −27

2π
z 3 = 27ei(π+n2π) =⇒ z = 271/3 ei(π+n2π)/3 = 3ei( 3 +n )
π
3

√
i π3 π π 3 3 3
n = 0 : z = 3e = 3(cos 3 + i sin 3) = +i
2 2
n = 1 : z = 3eiπ = −3
√
i 5π 5π 5π 3 3 3
n = 2 : z = 3e 3 = 3(cos 3 + i sin 3 ) = −i
2 2