Complex Numbers Prof.

Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 1

Module 1: Complex Numbers

Prof. Manju Pruthi

Department of Mathematics,
Indira Gandhi University, Meerpur
Rewari, Haryana.
Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 2

Complex Numbers
Complex numbers are defined as ordered pairs (x, y) of real numbers which are interpreted as points
(x, y) in XY-plane of cartesian system. The complex numbers of the form (x, 0) are points on the
X-axis (usually taken as the real number line) and are called pure real numbers. The complex
numbers of the form (0, y) are points on the Y-axis and are called pure imaginary numbers. The
real numbers x and y are respectively known as the real and imaginary parts of the complex
number (x, y). We denote the complex number (x, y) by z, its real part by Rez, and imaginary
part by Imz. Thus, we have z = (x, y), Rez = x and Imz = y. Further, two complex numbers z1
and z2 are said to be equal, that is, z1 = z2 if and only if Rez1 =Rez2 and Imz1 =Imz2 .

x z= H x ,yL

X
O

Addition and Multiplication of complex numbers

The addition and multiplication of two complex numbers z1 = (x1 , y1 ) and z2 = (x2 , y2 ) are defined
as follows:
z1 + z2 = (x1 , y1 ) + (x2 , y2 ) = (x1 + x2 , y1 + y2 ),
z1 z2 = (x1 , y1 )(x2 , y2 ) = (x1 x2 − y1 y2 , x1 y2 + y1 x2 ).
Note that the above operations reduce to the usual operations of addition and multiplication
when restricted to the real numbers.
(x1 , 0) + (x2 , 0) = (x1 + x2 , 0)
(x1 , 0)(x2 , 0) = (x1 x2 , 0).
The complex number system is, therefore, a natural extension of the real number system.

Simplified representation of complex number

Making use of the definitions of addition and multiplication operations of complex numbers, we
have
z = (x, y) = (x, 0) + (0, y) = (x, 0) + (0, 1)(y, 0)
We shall denote the imaginary number (0, 1) by i. For simplified representation, we write x for
(x, 0) and y for (y, 0). Thus, the simplified representation of z is
z = x + iy.
Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 3

With this representation, the addition and multiplication operations become

z1 + z2 = (x1 + iy1 ) + (x2 + iy2 ) = (x1 + x2 ) + i(y1 + y2 ),

z1 z2 = (x1 + iy1 )(x2 + iy2 ) = (x1 x2 − y1 y2 ) + i(x1 y2 + y1 x2 ).

Further, we have i2 = −1 since i2 = i.i = (0, 1)(0, 1) = (−1, 0).

Some algebraic properties of complex numbers

It is easy to verify the following properties of complex numbers:
(1) Commutative property: z1 + z2 = z2 + z1 , z1 z2 = z2 z1 .
(2) Associative property: z1 + (z2 + z3 ) = (z1 + z2 ) + z3 , z1 (z2 z3 ) = (z1 z2 )z3 .
(3) Identity: z + 0 = (x, y) + (0, 0) = (x, y) = z, z.1 = (x, y)(1, 0) = (x, y) = z. Therefore, 0 and
1 are respectively the additive and multiplicative identities.
(4) Inverse: For any complex number z = (x, y), there exists a complex number (−x, −y) denoted
by −z and called negative of z such that z + (−z) = 0. We call −z as additive inverse of z. For any
non-zero complex number z = (x, y), there exists a complex number (x/(x2 + y 2 ), −y/(x2 + y 2 ))
denoted by 1/z or z −1 and called reciprocal of z such that zz −1 = 1. We call z −1 as multiplicative
inverse of z. Please also see the footnote1
(5) Distributive property: z1 (z2 + z3 ) = z1 z2 + z1 z3 .

Modulus of a complex number

Recall that the absolute value a real number is its distance from origin on the real number line.
p of a complex numberpz = x + iy, denoted by |z|, is
In analogy, the modulus or the absolute value
defined as the non-negative real number x2 + y 2 , that is, |z| = x2 + y 2 . Geometrically, it is
the distance of the point (x, y) (representing the complex number z) from the origin (0, 0). Some
straightforward but important properties of modulus are given below.

x z= H x ,yL

ÈzÈ
y

X
O

(1) For any two complex numbers z1 and z2 , we have |z1 | < |z2 | or |z1 | = |z2 | or |z1 | > |z2 |. Note
that the expressions z1 < z2 or z1 > z2 are not meaningful unless z1 and z2 are pure real numbers.

The expression z1 + (−z2 ) denoted by z1 − z2 is called the difference of z1 from z2 . The expression z1 z2−1
1

denoted by zz21 is called the division of z1 by z2 .

Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 4

(2) The equation |z − z0 | = r represents a circle with centre at z0 and radius r in the complex
plane. The inequality |z − z0 | < r represents the interior region of the circle |z − z0 | = r while
the inequality |z − z0 | > r represents the entire region in the complex plane exterior to the circle
|z − z0 | = r.

(3) Let a point P (x, y) in the XY-plane corresponds to a complex number z = x + iy. If we assign
−→ −→
the position vector OP of P to represent the complex number z, then |z| = |OP |. Considering the
vector representation of complex numbers, one can easily demonstrate the addition and difference
of two complex numbers in the complex plane as per the rules of vector algebra. However, note
that the product of two complex numbers can not be associated with the dot product or scalar
product of vectors.

(4) For any two complex numbers z1 and z2 , we have |z1 z2 | = |z1 ||z2 | and |z1 /z2 | = |z1 |/|z2 |
provided z2 6= 0. Further, we have |z1 + z2 | ≤ |z1 | + |z2 |, known as the triangle inequality. It simply
says that the length of any side of a triangle is less than or equal to the sum of the lengths of the
other two sides. Also, it can be proved that |z1 + z2 | ≥ ||z1 | − |z2 ||.

(5) |z|2 = (Rez)2 + (Imz)2 , Rez ≤ |Rez| ≤ |z| and Imz ≤ |Imz| ≤ |z|.

Conjugate of a complex number

The conjugate of a complex number z = x + iy, denoted by z, is defined as the complex number
x − iy, that is, z = x + iy = x − iy. Geometrically, z is the reflection of z in the X-axis. Some
straightforward properties of complex conjugates are given below.

(1) z = z, z1 ± z2 = z1 ± z2 , z1 /z2 = z1 /z2 .

z+z z−z
(2) zz = |z|2 , Rez = 2
and Imz = 2i
.

Polar or exponential form of a complex number

Let (r, θ) be polar coordinates of a point that corresponds to a non-zero complex number z = x+iy
in the complex plane. Then x = r cos θ and y = r sin θ. So we have z = r(cos θ + i sin θ). It is the
polar representation of the complex number z. Using the Euler’s formula2 eiθ = cos θ + i sin θ, we
get a more compact form z = reiθ , known as the exponential form of z. Obviously, the modulus
of z is |z| = r. The angle θ is called the argument of z and is denoted by argz. It is measured in
radians and is undefined for z = 0. Further, for a non-zero complex number there exists infinitely
many values of θ but all differing by an integer multiple of 2π. In the range −π < θ ≤ π, we can
find a unique value of θ for any given non-zero complex number z. It is called principal argument
of z and is denoted by Argz. So we have argz = Argz + 2kπ, k is an integer. Some useful points
are given below.
(1) Let z1 = r1 eiθ1 and z2 = r2 eiθ2 . Then z1 = z2 if and if r1 = r2 and θ1 = θ2 + 2kπ, k being an
integer.

2
It can be proved that (cos θ + i sin θ)n = cos(nθ) + i sin(nθ), that is, (eiθ )n = einθ . It is known as de Moivre’s
formula
Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 5

x z= H x ,yL

ÈzÈ = r
y

Θ
X
O

(2) The nth roots of a non-zero complex number z0 are the roots of the equation z n = z0 . If
√
z0 = r0 eiθ0 and z = reiθ , then z n = z0 yields rn = r0 and nθ = θ0 + 2kπ. So r = n r0 and
θ = θn0 + 2kπ
n
, and hence the nth roots of z0 are given by
  
√ θ0 2kπ
z = r0 exp i
n
+ , k = 0, 1, 2, ......, n − 1.
n n

Note that the integer values of k less than 0 and greater than n − 1 do not yield any roots dif-
√
ferent from the listed ones. Obviously, the nth roots of z0 lie symmetrically on the circle |z| = n r0 .
 
(3) One can easily prove that arg(z1 z2 ) = arg(z1 ) + arg(z2 ) and arg zz12 = arg(z1 ) − arg(z2 ).
However, one should be careful that these equalities hold in the sense that given any two argu-
ments in the equality there exists some value of the third argument satisfying the equality.

(4) Note that z = reiθ (0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π) is parametric representation of the circle |z| = r. As
the parameter θ increases from 0 to 2π, the point z traverses the circle |z| = r once in the
counterclockwise direction starting from the positive real axis.

Regions in complex plane

The following definitions are simple but crucial in the forthcoming analysis. So read and understand
these carefully.

Neighbourhoods
Let z0 be a complex number. Then for any  > 0, the interior of the circle |z − z0 | = , that is,
the region |z − z0 | <  defines a neighbourhood of z0 . The neighbourhood with z0 deleted, that is,
0 < |z − z0 | <  is called deleted neighbourhood of z0 . For example, |z| < 1 is neighbourhood of 0.
In fact, it is neighbourhood of its every point. 0 < |z| < 1 is deleted neighbourhood of 0.

Interior, exterior and boundary points

Let S be a set of complex numbers. A complex number z0 is said to be an interior point of S if
there exists at least one neighbourhood of z0 that completely lies within S. On the other hand,
z0 is an exterior point of S if there exists at least one neighbourhood of z0 that completely lies
Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 6

0.5

X
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

-0.5

-1

Figure 1: Shaded region stands for |z| < 1, the neighbourhood of z = 0.

outside S. Next, z0 is a boundary point of S if it neither an interior nor an exterior point of S.

In other words, if each neighbourhood of z0 contains points from exterior as well as interior of S.
For example, z0 = 0.5, z1 = 1 + i and z2 = i are respectively the interior, exterior and boundary
points of S = {z : |z| ≤ 1}.

1
1+i

0.5

X
-1 -0.5 0 0.5 1

-0.5

-1

Figure 2: z0 = 0.5, z1 = 1 + i and z2 = i are respectively the interior, exterior and boundary points
of S = {z : |z| ≤ 1}.

Open and closed sets

If all points of a set are its interior points, it is said be an open set. A set containing all its
boundary points is a closed set. For example, the |z| < 1 is an open set whereas the set |z| ≤ 1 is
a closed set. Note that the punctured unit disc 0 < |z| < 1 is an open set while the set 0 < |z| ≤ 1
is neither open nor closed. Likewise the annular region 1 < |z| ≤ 2 is neither open nor closed.
Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 7

X
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2

-1

-2

-3

Figure 3: 1 < |z| ≤ 2 is neither open nor closed.

Connected sets
A connected set is the set in which any two points can be joined by a polygonal line consisting of
finite number of line segments without leaving the set. For example, 1 < |z| ≤ 2 is a connected
set, but the set S = {z : Rez < −1 or Rez > 1} is not connected since points of the region
Rez < −1 can not be joined with the points of the region Rez > 1 by any polygonal line.
Y

X
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2

-1

-2

-3

Figure 4: S = {z : Rez < −1 or Rez > 1} is not connected.

Domains and regions

A non-empty open connected set is called a domain. A region is a domain with some, none or all
the boundary points. For example, 1 < |z| < 2 is domain as well as a region. The set 0 < |z| ≤ 1
is a region but not a domain.

Bounded sets
A set is bounded if it can be enclosed inside the circle |z| = r for some finite value of r. For
example, the set |z| < 1 is bounded while the set Rez > 0 being the right half of the complex
Complex Numbers Prof. Manju Pruthi, IGU Meerpur 8

plane is unbounded.

Limit points of a set

A point z0 is said to be limit point or accumulation point of a set S if every neighbourhood of
z0 carries infinitely many points of S. Obviously, S has no limit points if it is a finite set. Next,
all the interior and boundary points of a set are its limit points. A set is closed if and only if it
contains all its boundary points. A set may have finite number of limit points. For example, 0 is
the only limit point of the set {i/n : n = 1, 2, 3....}. Note that 0 is not a member of the set. The
set |z| ≤ 1 is the set of all limit points of the set |z| < 1.