Section 8.

3 : De Moivre’s Theorem and

Applications
Let z1 and z2 be complex numbers, where

|z1 | = r1 , |z2 | = r2 , arg(z1 ) = θ1 , arg(z2 ) = θ2 .

Then

z1 = r1 (cos θ1 + i sin θ1 )
z2 = r2 (cos θ2 + i sin θ2 )

and
 

z1 z2 = r1 r2 (cos θ1 cos θ2 − sin θ1 sin θ2 ) + i(sin θ1 cos θ2 + cos θ1 sin θ2 )

| {z } | {z }
cos(θ1 +θ2 ) sin(θ1 +θ2 )

= r1 r2 (cos(θ1 + θ2 ) + i sin(θ1 + θ2 ))

This means

1. |z1 z2 | = r1 r2 = |z1 | |z2 |

2. arg(z1 z2 ) = θ1 + θ2 = arg(z1 ) + arg(z2 )

or :

The modulus of the product of two complex numbers is the product of their moduli,
and
the argument of the product of two complex numbers is the sum of their arguments.

We can use these facts to compute the square of a complex number (in polar
form): suppose z = r(cos θ + i sin θ), so |z| = r and arg(z) = θ. Then z 2 has
modulus r × r = r2 , and z 2 has argument θ + θ = 2θ, i.e.

z 2 = r2 (cos(2θ) + i sin(2θ))

This principle can be used to compute any positive integer power of z to give :
Theorem 8.3.1: (De Moivre’s Theorem) Let z = r(cos θ + i sin θ), and let n be a
positive integer. Then
z n = rn (cos nθ + i sin nθ)

1
(i.e. in taking the nth power of z, we raise the modulus to its nth power and multiply
the argument by n.)
Remark: Provided z 6= 0, De Moivre’s Theorem also holds for negative integers n.
We now consider three problems of different types, all involving De Moivre’s
theorem.
1. Computing Positive Powers of a Complex Number
Example 8.3.2∗ Let z = 1 − i. Find z 10 .
Solution: First write z in polar form.
p √
|z| = 12 + (−1)2 = 2
arg(z) = − π4 (or 7π
4
)
√
2 cos(− π4 ) + i sin(− π4 ) .


Polar Form : z =
Applying de Moivre’s Theorem gives :
√  π π 
z 10 = ( 2)10 cos(10 × (− )) + i sin(10 × (− ))
 4  4
10π 10π
= 25 cos(− ) + i sin(− )
4 4
 
5π 5π
= 32 cos(− ) + i sin(− )
2 2
 
5π 5π
= 32 cos(− + 2π) + i sin(− + 2π)
2 2
 π π 
= 32 cos(− ) + i sin(− )
2 2
= 32(0 + i (−1))
= −32i

Note: It can be verified directly that (1 − i)10 = −32i.

√
Exercise : Use De Moivre’s Theorem to find (1 + 3i)6 .

2. Computing nth roots of a complex number.

Example 8.3.3∗ Find all complex cube roots of 27i.
Solution: We are looking for complex numbers z with the property z 3 = 27i.
Strategy: First we write 27i in polar form :-
p
|27i| = |0 + 27i| = 02 + (27)2 = 27

2
 π
arg(27i) = 2
π π
27i = 27(cos+ i sin )
2 2
3
Now suppose z = r(cos θ+i sin θ) satisfies z = 27i. Then, by De Moivre’s Theorem,
π π
r3 (cos 3θ + i sin 3θ) = 27i = 27(cos + i sin )
2 2
Thus r3 = 27 =⇒ r = 3 (since r must be a positive real number with cube 27).
What are the possible values of θ? We must have
π π
cos 3θ = cos and sin 3θ = sin
2 2
This means :
π
3θ =
+ 2πk,
2
where k is an integer; i.e. 3θ differs from π2 by a multiple of 2π. Possibilities are :

1. k = 0: 3θ = π2 , θ = π
6

π π
z1 = 3(cos + i sin )
√ 6 6
3 1
= 3( +i )
√2 2
3 3 3
z1 = + i
2 2

π 5π 5π
2. k = 1: 3θ = 2
+ 2π(1) = 2
, θ= 6

5π 5π
z2 = 3(cos + i sin )
√6 6
3 1
= 3(− +i )
√ 2 2
3 3 3
z2 = − + i
2 2

π 9π 9π 3π
3. k = 2: 3θ = 2
+ 2π(2) = 2
, θ= 6
= 2

3π 3π
z3 = 3(cos + i sin )
2 2
= 3(0 + i(−1))
z1 = −3i

3
 π
These are the only possibilities : setting k = 3 results in θ = 2
+ 2π which gives
the same result as k = 0.

.... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....

..... . .....
.....
..... .....
..... .....
..... .....
..... .....
.....
...
... .
...
... .
The complex cube roots of −27i are : z2 sppppppppppppp .
..
ppppppppp ppppps z1
...
.
ppppppppppppppppppppp
ppppppppp ppppppppp p p
. ...
..
p pppppppp
.
√ ...
pppppppppppppp p p p p p p p p p p p ...

pppppppppppppp p pppppppppp pppppppppp

.
3 3 ...
+ 23 i
.
...
z1 = 2 ... pppppppp
.
...
.
... .
√ . ...
... ...
−3 3
z2 = 2
+ 32 i .
...
.
... .
.
...
. ...
...
. ...
z3 = −3i ...
.
.... .
.
.
.
.
...
..... .
....
.....
ppp pp .....
ppp p .....
.....
..... .....
.....
..... p
..... ..... ....ps
. ..... .....
.
...
. .....

z3

In general : To find the complex nth roots of a non-zero complex number z.

1. Write z in polar form : z = r(cos θ + i sin θ)

2. z will have n different nth roots (i.e. 3 cube roots, 4 fourth roots, etc.).
1
3. All these roots will have the same modulus r n (the positive real nth root of
r).

4. They will have different arguments :

θ θ + 2π θ + (2 × 2π) θ + ((n − 1) × 2π)
, , , ... ,
n n n n

5. The complex nth roots of z are given (in polar form) by

1
z1 = r n cos( nθ ) + i sin( nθ )


1
z2 = r n cos( θ+2π θ+2π


n
) + i sin( n
)
1
θ+4π θ+4π


z3 = r cos( n ) + i sin( n ) , etc.
n

Example: Find all the complex fourth roots of -16.

Solution: First write -16 in polar form.
Modulus : 16
Argument : π
−16 = 16(cos π + i sin π)

4
 1
Fourth roots of 16 all have modulus 16 4 = 2, and possibilities for the argument are
:
π π + 2π 3π π + 4π 5π π + 3π 7π
, = , = , =
4 4 4 4 4 4 4
Fourth roots of −16 are :-
√ √
z1 = 2(cos( π4 ) + i sin( π4 )) = 2 + 2i
√ √
z2 = 2(cos( 3π4
) + i sin( 3π4
)) = − 2 + 2i
√ √
z3 = 2(cos( 5π4
) + i sin( 5π
4
)) = − 2 − 2i
7π 7π
√ √
z4 = 2(cos( 4 ) + i sin( 4 )) = 2 − 2i

3. Proving Trigonometric Identities

Example 8.3.4∗ : Prove that

1. cos 5θ = 16 cos5 θ − 20 cos3 θ + 5 cos θ

2. sin 5θ = 16 sin5 θ − 20 sin3 θ + 5 sin θ

Solution: The idea is to write (cos θ + i sin θ)5 in two different ways. We use both
the binomial theorem and De Moivre’s theorem, and compare the results.
Binomial Theorem:
(cos θ + i sin θ)5 =
     
5 5 4 1 5 3 2 5
(cos θ) + (cos θ) (i sin θ) + (cos θ) (i sin θ) + (cos θ)2 (i sin θ)3
1 2 3
   
5 5
+ (cos θ)1 (i sin θ)4 + (cos θ)0 (i sin θ)5
4 5
= cos5 θ + 5 cos4 θ(i sin θ) + 10(cos3 θ)(i2 sin2 θ) + 10(cos2 θ)(i3 sin3 θ)
+5(cos θ)(i4 sin4 θ) + (i5 sin5 θ)
= cos5 θ + i 5 cos4 θ sin θ − 10 cos3 θ sin2 θ − i 10 cos2 θ sin3 θ + 5 cos θ sin4 θ + i sin5 θ
= (cos5 θ − 10 cos3 θ sin2 θ + 5 cos θ sin4 θ) + i(5 cos4 θ sin θ − 10 cos2 θ sin3 θ + sin5 θ)

Also, by De Moivre’s Theorem, we have

(cos θ + i sin θ)5 = cos 5θ + i sin 5θ

5
and so

cos 5θ + i sin 5θ = (cos5 θ − 10 cos3 θ sin2 θ + 5 cos θ sin4 θ)

+i(5 cos4 θ sin θ − 10 cos2 θ sin3 θ + sin5 θ)

Equating the real parts gives

cos 5θ = cos5 θ − 10 cos3 θ sin2 θ + 5 cos θ sin4 θ

= cos5 θ − 10 cos3 θ(1 − cos2 θ) + 5 cos θ(1 − cos2 θ)2
= cos5 θ − 10 cos3 θ + 10 cos5 θ + 5 cos θ(1 − 2 cos2 θ + cos4 θ)
= cos5 θ − 10 cos3 θ + 10 cos5 θ + 5 cos θ − 10 cos3 θ + 5 cos5 θ
cos 5θ = 16 cos5 θ − 20 cos3 θ + 5 cos θ

For the other identity, look at the imaginary parts :

sin 5θ = 5 cos4 θ sin θ − 10 cos2 θ sin3 θ + sin5 θ

= 5(1 − sin2 θ)2 sin θ − 10(1 − sin2 θ) sin3 θ + sin5 θ
= 5(1 − 2 sin2 θ + sin4 θ) sin θ − 10 sin3 θ + 10 sin5 θ + sin5 θ
= 5 sin θ − 10 sin3 θ + 5 sin5 θ − 10 sin3 θ + 10 sin5 θ + sin5 θ
= 5 sin θ − 10 sin3 θ + 5 sin5 θ − 10 sin3 θ + 10 sin5 θ + sin5 θ
sin 5θ = 16 sin5 θ − 20 sin3 θ + 5 sin θ

Remark: This method can be used to prove many trigonometric identities. In

general one can write sin nθ and cos nθ in terms of powers of sin θ and cos θ by using
both the binomial theorem and De Moivre’s theorem to expand (cos θ + i sin θ)n and
comparing the real and imaginary parts of the results.

Exercise: Prove :

1. cos 4θ = 8 cos4 θ − 8 cos2 θ + 1

2. sin 4θ = 4 cos3 θ sin θ − 4 cos θ sin3 θ