Complex Numbers

De Moivre’s Theorem
 According to the De Moivre’s Theorem:

1. If n is an integer, then:

(cosθ+isinθ)n = cos(nθ)+isin(nθ)

2. If n is a rational p/q, then:

cos(pθ/q) + isin(pθ/q) is one of the values of (cosθ+isinθ)p/q

 When n is an Integer
 eiθ = (cosθ+isinθ)

 eniθ = cos(nθ)+isin(nθ)

 (cosθ+isinθ)n = cos(nθ)+isin(nθ)

Therefore, De Moivre’s Theorem is an obvious result

when n is an integer
 Example
 If z = √3/2 + i/2, find z7

For integral values of n:

(cosθ+isinθ)n = cos(nθ)+isin(nθ)

z = √3/2 + i/2 = eiπ/6

 z7 = ei7π/6 = cos(7π/6) + sin(7π/6)

= –√3/2–i/2
 Example
 Prove: cos(5θ) = cos5(θ) – 10cos3θsin2θ+5cosθsin4θ

For n = 5: cos(5θ)+isin(5θ) = (cosθ+isinθ)5

The part of cos(5θ) on the LHS is the real part, so we can equate it
with the real part of RHS by expanding using binomial theorem:

Real part of (cosθ+isinθ)5 is:

cos5(θ) – 10cos3θsin2θ+5cosθsin4θ

Therefore, cos(5θ) = cos5(θ) – 10cos3θsin2θ+5cosθsin4θ

 Example
 Prove that Z = sin(0) + sin(θ) + sin(2θ) + ..+ sin(nθ) is:

sin[(n/2)θ]sin[{(n+1)/2)θ}]/sin(θ/2)

Using De Moivre’s Theorem, Z is the imaginary part of:

N = (cosθ+isinθ)0 + (cosθ+isinθ)1 + ... + (cosθ+isinθ)n

By sum of G.P: N = [(cosθ+isinθ)n+1–1]/[(cosθ+isinθ)–1]

= (ei(n+1)θ–1)/(eiθ–1) (We require only imaginary part here)

 Example contd.
 To find Z, we require only the imaginary part of:

N = (ei(n+1)θ–1)/(eiθ–1)

(ei(n+1)θ–1) = ei[(n+1)/2]θ(ei[(n+1)/2]θ–e–i[(n+1)/2]θ) —(1)

Similarly, (eiθ–1) = eiθ/2(eiθ/2–e–iθ/2) —(2)

The terms in brackets for (1) and (2) are purely imaginary

 N = (1)÷(2) = einθ/2[2isin{(n+1)/2}θ]/[2isin(θ/2)]

 Z = Imaginary Part of N = sin{(n/2)θ}[sin{(n+1)/2}θ]/[sin(θ/2)]

 When n is Rational
 Let n be p/q = 1/7

Consider a complex number z1 and let its 7th root be z2

 (z1)1/7 = z2

 z27 = z1 (Equation of degree 7, with 7 answers)

There are 7 possible values for (z1)1/7 and z2 is one of those values

Now, if z1 = (cosθ+isinθ), there are ‘q’ answers for (cosθ+isinθ) p/q

And cos(pθ/q) + isin(pθ/q) is one of the values of (cosθ+isinθ) p/q

 Calculating Integral Roots
 Using De Moivre’s Theorem, we can calculate the nth root of the
expression: zn = zo

Note that there shouldn’t be other terms in the nth degree

polynomial, only zn

So, if z7 = 3+7i, we can calculate the 7th root of 3+7i using De

Moivre’s Theorem
 Since there is only one term and we need to find the roots, it is
better to use the exponential form
 Calculating Integral Roots
For zn = zo, we need to find nth roots for zO

 There is a fixed method for solving these problems:

Step 1. Express zO as reiθ

Step 2. Add 2mπ to the argument: z n = zO = rei(θ+2mπ)

 z = (r1/n)(ei(θ+2mπ)/n)

Now, we put integral values for m from 0, 1, 2 ..., n–1 and

calculate individually for those values
 Calculating Integral Roots
 For zn = zos there are n different roots subtending an
angle 2π at the origin
 The angle between two
consecutive roots is 2π/n
 Consider z5 = 1

The angle between any two

consecutive roots is 2π/5
 Example
 Find the cube roots of √3+i

Let z3 = √3+i

We express √3+i in exponential form: √3+i = 2eiπ/6

We can add 0, 2π, 4π to the argument:

 z3 = 2eiπ/6 , z3 = 2eiπ/6+2π, z3 = 2eiπ/6+4π

 z1 = 21/3(eiπ/18), z2 = 21/3ei(π/18 + 2π/3), z3 = 21/3ei(π/18 + 4π/3)

 Example
 Find the roots with positive real parts for z5 = 243

If z1, z2, z3, z4, z5 are the roots of:

z5 = 243

Then z3 and z4 have real part < 0

z1 = 3, z2 = 3(cos72˚+isin72˚),
z5 = 3(cos288˚+isin288˚)
 B(z2)
C(z3)
2π/5
O A(z1)

D (z4) E(z5)