User:Aleksander Stos/ComplexNumberAdvanced: Difference between revisions

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Obviously, the conjugation is just the symmetry with respect to the x-axis.  
Obviously, the conjugation is just the symmetry with respect to the x-axis.  


;Trigonometric form
;Trigonometric and exponential form
As the graphical representation suggests, any complex number ''z=a+bi'' of modulus 1 (i.e. a point from the unit circle) can be written as <math>z=\cos \theta + i\sin\theta</math>
As the graphical representation suggests, any complex number ''z=a+bi'' of modulus 1 (i.e. a point from the unit circle) can be written as <math>z=\cos \theta + i\sin\theta</math>
for some <math>\theta\in [0,2\pi).</math> So actually any (non-null) <math>z\in\mathbb{C}</math> can be represented as  
for some <math>\theta\in [0,2\pi).</math> So actually any (non-null) <math>z\in\mathbb{C}</math> can be represented as  
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This is the ''trigonometric form'' of the complex number ''z''. If we adopt convention that <math>\theta \in [0,2\pi)</math> then such <math>\theta</math> is unique and called the ''argument'' of ''z''.<ref>In literature the convention <math>\theta\in (-\pi,\pi]</math> is found as well.</ref>
This is the ''trigonometric form'' of the complex number ''z''. If we adopt convention that <math>\theta \in [0,2\pi)</math> then such <math>\theta</math> is unique and called the ''argument'' of ''z''.<ref>In literature the convention <math>\theta\in (-\pi,\pi]</math> is found as well.</ref>
Graphically, the number <math>\theta</math> is the (oriented) angle between the ''x''-axis and the interval containing 0 and ''z''.
Graphically, the number <math>\theta</math> is the (oriented) angle between the ''x''-axis and the interval containing 0 and ''z''.
Closely related is the exponential notation.
If we define complex exponential as
:<math>e^z = \sum_0^\infty \frac{z^n}{n!},</math>
then it may be shown that
:<math>e^{i\theta}=\cos\theta +  i\sin\theta,\quad\quad \theta\in\mathbb{R}. </math>
Consequently, any (non-zero) <math> z\in \mathbb{C}</math> can be written as
:<math> z= r e^{i\theta}</math> with the same ''r'' and ''theta'' as above.
This is called the ''exponential form'' of the complex number ''z''.
The trigonometric form is particularly well adapted to perform multiplication. If <math>z_1=r_1(\sin(

Revision as of 08:36, 13 August 2007

This is an experimental draft. For a brief description of the project and motivations click here.

Complex numbers are defined as ordered pairs of reals:

Such pairs can be added and multiplied as follows

  • addition:
  • multiplication:

with the addition and multiplication is the field of complex numbers. From another of view, with complex additions and multiplication by real numbers is a 2-dimesional vector space.

To perform basic computations it is convenient to introduce the imaginary unit, i=(0,1).[1] It has the property Any complex number can be written as (this is often called the algebraic form) and vice-versa. The numbers a and b are called the real part and the imaginary part of z, respectively. We denote and Notice that i makes the multiplication quite natural:

The square root of number in the denominator in the above formula is called the modulus of z and denoted by ,

We have for any two complex numbers and

  • provided

For we define also , the conjugate, by Then we have

  • provided
Geometric interpretation

Complex numbers may be naturally represented on the complex plane, where corresponds to the point (x,y), see the fig. 1.

Fig. 1. Graphical representation of a complex number and its conjugate

Obviously, the conjugation is just the symmetry with respect to the x-axis.

Trigonometric and exponential form

As the graphical representation suggests, any complex number z=a+bi of modulus 1 (i.e. a point from the unit circle) can be written as for some So actually any (non-null) can be represented as

where r traditionally stands for |z|.

This is the trigonometric form of the complex number z. If we adopt convention that then such is unique and called the argument of z.[2] Graphically, the number is the (oriented) angle between the x-axis and the interval containing 0 and z. Closely related is the exponential notation. If we define complex exponential as

then it may be shown that

Consequently, any (non-zero) can be written as

with the same r and theta as above.

This is called the exponential form of the complex number z.


The trigonometric form is particularly well adapted to perform multiplication. If <math>z_1=r_1(\sin(

  1. in some applications it is denoted by j as well.
  2. In literature the convention is found as well.