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What is a Complex Number in Mathematics?
A complex number is a number that comprises both a real part and an imaginary part. It is generally represented in the form a + bi, where 'a' and 'b' are real numbers, and 'i' is the imaginary unit, which is defined by the property that i² = -1. This definition extends the concept of one-dimensional real numbers to the two-dimensional complex numbers by including imaginary numbers.
What is the Imaginary Unit (i)?
The imaginary unit is denoted as 'i' and is defined by its property: i² = -1. This concept is fundamental to complex numbers and allows for the extension of real numbers into the complex plane. For example, the square root of -1 does not exist within the set of real numbers, but it can be represented as i in the set of complex numbers.
How is a Complex Number Represented?
A complex number is written in the form a + bi, where:
- 'a' is the real part.
- 'b' is the imaginary part.
For instance, in the complex number 3 + 4i, 3 is the real part and 4i is the imaginary part.
What is the Complex Plane?
The complex plane, also known as the Argand plane, is a way to visualize complex numbers. It is a two-dimensional plane where the horizontal axis represents the real part of the complex number and the vertical axis represents the imaginary part. Each complex number corresponds to a unique point in this plane.
How Do You Add and Subtract Complex Numbers?
To add or subtract complex numbers, you combine their real parts and their imaginary parts separately.
- Addition: (a + bi) + (c + di) = (a + c) + (b + d)i
- Subtraction: (a + bi) - (c + di) = (a - c) + (b - d)i
For example, (3 + 2i) + (1 + 4i) would be (3 + 1) + (2 + 4)i = 4 + 6i.
How Do You Multiply and Divide Complex Numbers?
- Multiplication involves using the distributive property and remembering that i² = -1:
(a + bi)(c + di) = ac + adi + bci + bdi²
Since i² = -1, this simplifies to:
ac + adi + bci - bd = (ac - bd) + (ad + bc)i
- Division involves multiplying the numerator and the denominator by the conjugate of the denominator to eliminate the imaginary part from the denominator:
(a + bi) / (c + di) * (c - di) / (c - di)
This simplifies to:
[(a + bi)(c - di)] / (c² + d²)
Using the results from multiplication, this can be written as:
[(ac + bd) + (bc - ad)i] / (c² + d²)
What is the Conjugate of a Complex Number?
The conjugate of a complex number a + bi is a - bi. The conjugate is used in various operations, such as division, to simplify the computations involved with complex numbers.
For example, the conjugate of 3 + 4i is 3 - 4i.
How Do You Find the Magnitude of a Complex Number?
The magnitude (or modulus) of a complex number a + bi is given by the formula:
|a + bi| = sqrt(a² + b²)
This represents the distance of the complex number from the origin in the complex plane.
For example, the magnitude of 3 + 4i is sqrt(3² + 4²) = sqrt(9 + 16) = sqrt(25) = 5.
In summary, complex numbers are an extension of real numbers that includes imaginary units. They are represented in the form a + bi and can be visualized in the complex plane. Operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, as well as the concepts of the conjugate and magnitude, are used to manipulate and understand complex numbers in mathematics.