Solutions to exercises from Complex numbers as matrices handout

1. Find the following:

(a) F (1 2i)
Solution: F (1 2i) =


1 2
.
2
1

(b) F (1)
Solution: 1 = 1 + 0i, so F (1) =
(c) F (a) for a R.
Solution: a = a + 0i, so F (a) =


1 0
.
0 1


a 0
.
0 a

(d) F (i)
Solution: i = 0 + 1i, so F (i) =

(e) F (bi) for b R.

Solution: bi = 0 + bi, so F (i) =


0 1
.
1 0

0 b
.
b 0

2. Use the definition of multiplication of complex numbers to show that i2 = 1 and then show
that F (i)2 = F (1).
Solution:
i2 = (0 + 1i)(0 + 1i) = (0 0 1 1) + (1 0 + 0 1)i = 1.

2 

0 1
1
0
F (i)2 =
=
= F (1).
1 0
0 1
3. Show that F (z+w) = F (z)+F (w) for any z, w C. This shows that F respects the operation
of addition.
Solution: Let z = a + bi and w = c + di. Then
F (z) + F (w) = F (a + bi) + F (c + di)

 
 

a b
c d
a+c b+d
=
+
=
b a
d c
b d a + c
= F ((a + c) + (b + d)i) = F ((a + bi) + (c + di)) = F (z + w).
4. Show that F (zw) = F (z)F (w) for any z, w C. This shows that F respects the operation of
multiplication.
Solution: Let z = a + bi and w = c + di. Then
F (z)F (w) = F (a + bi)F (c + di)


 

a b
c d
ac bd ad + bc
=
=
b a
d c
ad bc ac bd
= F ((ac bd) + (ad + bc)i) = F ((a + bi)(c + di)) = F (zw).

5. If z = a + bi is any complex number, then we let z = a bi. The complex number z is called
the complex conjugate of z. Show that F (
z ) = P F (z)P 1 for any z C where


0 1
P =
.
1 0
This shows that complex conjugation corresponds to matrix

0
1
1
Solution: First notice that det P = 1 so P = 1
1
z = a + bi. Then we have



 

0 1
a b
0 1
b a
0
1
P F (z)P =
=
1 0
b a
1 0
a b
1

conjugation by P .
 

1
0 1
=
= P . Now let
0
1 0
1
0

a b
b
a

6. The norm of a complex number z = a + bi is defined to be the real number

denoted ||z||. Show that ||z||2 = det F (z) for any z C.

Solution: If we let z = a + bi then we have



2
p
a b
a2 + b2 = ||z||2 .
det F (z) = det
= a2 + b2 =
b a

= F (abi) = F (
z)

a2 + b2 and is