Chapter 15

Complex Numbers
A few operations with complex numbers
were used earlier in the text and it was
assumed that the reader had some basic
knowledge of the subject. The subject will
now be approached from a broader
perspective and many of the operations will
be developed in detail. To deal with Fourier
analysis in Chapter 16, complex number
operations are required.
1

Complex Numbers and Vectors

In a sense, complex numbers are twodimensional vectors. In fact, some of the
basic arithmetic operations such as
addition and subtraction are the same as
those that could be performed with the
spatial vector forms of Chapter 14 in two
dimensions. However, once the process
of multiplication is reached, the theory of
complex number operations diverges
significantly from that of spatial vectors.
2

Rectangular Coordinate System

The development begins with the twodimensional rectangular coordinate
system shown on the next slide. The two
axes are labeled as x and y. In complex
variable theory, the x-axis is called the
real axis and the y-axis is called the
imaginary axis. An imaginary number is
based on the definition that follows.

i 1
3

Complex Plane

Form of Complex Number

z x iy

Conversion Between Forms

Polar to Rectangular:

x r cos
y r sin

Rectangular to Polar:
r x y
2

ang(z ) tan

y
x
6

Eulers Formula
i

e cos i sin
z r cos ir sin r (cos i sin )

z re

Common Engineering Notation:

i

re @r
7

Example 15-1. Convert the following

complex number to polar form:

z 4 i3
r x y (4) (3) 5
2

3
o
tan
36.87 0.6435 rad
4
1

z 536.87 or
o

z 5e

i 0.6435
8

Example 15-2. Convert the following

complex number to polar form:

z 4 i 3

r x y (4) (3) 5
2

3
o
1 3
tan 180 tan
4
4
o
o
o
180 36.87 143.13 2.498 rad
1

z 5e

i 2.498
9

Example 15-3. Convert the following

complex number to rectangular form:

z 4e

i2

x 4 cos 2 1.6646
y 4sin 2 3.6372
z 1.6646 i3.6372
10

Example 15-4. Convert the following

complex number to rectangular form:
i

z 10e
x 10 cos(1) 5.4030
y 10sin( 1) 8.4147

z 5.4030 i8.4147
11

Addition of Two Complex Numbers

z1 x1 iy1
z 2 x2 iy2

z sum z1 + z 2
x1 iy1 x2 iy2
x1 x2 i ( y1 y2 )

A geometric interpretation of addition is

shown on the next slide.
12

Addition of Two Complex Numbers

13

Subtraction of Two Complex Numbers

z1 x1 iy1
z 2 x2 iy2

z diff z1 - z 2
x1 iy1 ( x2 iy2 )
x1 x2 i ( y1 y2 )

A geometric interpretation of subtraction

is shown on the next slide.
14

Subtraction of Two Complex Numbers

15

Example 15-5. Determine the sum

of the following complex numbers:

z 1 5 i3
z 2 2 i7

z sum z1 z 2
5 i3 2 i 7
7 i4
16

Example 15-6. For the numbers that

follow, determine zdiff = z1-z2.

z 1 5 i3
z 2 2 i7

z diff z1 - z 2
5 i3 (2 i 7)
3 i10
17

Multiplication in Polar Form

z1 r1e

i1

i 2

z 2 r2 e
z prod = z1z 2

r1e

i1

r1r2 e

re
2

i 2

i (1 2 )
18

Division in Polar Form

z1 r1e

i1

z 2 r2 e
z div

i 2

z1 r1e
=

i 2
z 2 r2 e
i1

r1 i (1 2 )
e
r2
19

Multiplication in Rectangular Form

z prod

z1 x1 iy1
z 2 x2 iy2
( x1 iy1 )( x2 iy2 )
x1 x2 ix1 y2 ix2 y1 i y1 y2
2

z prod x1 x2 y1 y2 i ( x1 y2 x2 y1 )
20

Complex Conjugate

Start with
z x iy re

The complex conjugate is

z x iy re

The product of z and z is

(z )( z ) x y r
2

21

Division in Rectangular Form

z div
z div

z1 x1 iy1

z 2 x2 iy2
( x1 iy1 )( x2 iy2 )

( x2 iy2 )( x2 iy2 )
x1 x2 y1 y2 i ( x2 y1 x1 y2 )

2
2
x2 y2
x1 x2 y1 y2 i ( x2 y1 x1 y2 )

2
r
22

Example 15-7. Determine the product

of the following 2 complex numbers:
i 0.7

z 2 5e
z1 8e
i2
i 0.7
i1.3
z 3 = z1z 2 8e 5e 40e
i2

z 3 40(cos1.3 i sin1.3)
40(0.2675 i0.9636)
10.70 i38.54
23

Example 15-8. Repeat previous

example using rectangular forms.

z1 8e 8(cos 2 i sin 2)
i2

8(0.4162 i 0.9093) 3.329 i7.274

z 2 5e i 0.7 5(cos 0.7 i sin 0.7)

5(0.7648 i 0.6442) 3.824 i3.221
z 3 = z 1z 2 (3.329 i 7.274)(3.824 i3.221)
12.73 23.43 i (27.82 10.72)
10.70 i38.54

24

Example 15-9. Determine the quotient

z1/z2 for the following 2 numbers:

z1 8e

i2
i2

z 2 5e

i 0.7

z1
8e
i 2.7
z4 =
i 0.7 1.6e
z 2 5e
z 4 1.6(cos 2.7 i sin 2.7)

1.6(0.9041 i0.4274)
1.447 i 0.6838

25

Example 15-10. Repeat previous

example using rectangular forms.

z1 3.329 i 7.274
z4 =

z2
3.824 i3.221
(3.329 i 7.274) (3.824 i3.221)
z4
(3.824 i3.221) (3.824 i3.221)
12.73 23.43 i (27.82 10.72)

14.62 10.37
36.16 i17.10

1.446 i 0.6840
25.00
26

Exponentiation of Complex
Numbers: Integer Power

z power = (z)

N iN

z power (re ) r e
N

r cos N ir sin N
N

cos N Re(e

iN

iN

sin N Im(e

27

Roots of Complex Numbers

z re
z roots re

z roots r

i ( 2 n )

i ( 2 n ) 1/ N

1/ N

2 n

N N

1/ N i ( / N 2 n / N )

for n 0,1, 2...., N 1

z principal r

1/ N i / N

28

Example 15-11. For the value of z

below, determine z6 = z6.

z 3 i 4 5e
z 6 (z )

i 0.9273

(5e

) 15, 625e

i 0.9273 6

i 5.5638

z 6 15, 625 cos 5.5638 i sin 5.5638

11, 753 i10, 296
29

Example 15-12. Determine the 4

roots of s4 + 1 = 0.

s 1 1e
4

se

2

n
4
4

s1 e

3
4

5
4

s2 e
s3 e

s4 e

i ( 2 n )

for n 0,1, 2,3

0.7071 i 0.7071

7
4

0.7071 i 0.7071
0.7071 i 0.7071

0.7071 i 0.7071

30

MATLAB Complex Number Operations:

Entering in Rectangular Form
>> z = 3 + 4i
z=
3.0000 + 4.0000i
>> z = 3 + 4j
z=
3.0000 + 4.0000i
The i or j may precede the value, but the
multiplication symbol (*) is required.
31

MATLAB Complex Number Operations:

Entering in Polar Form
>> z = 5*exp(0.9273i)
z=
3.0000 + 4.0000i
>> z = 5*exp((pi/180)*53.13i)
z=
3.0000 + 4.0000i
This result indicates that polar to
rectangular conversion occurs automatically
upon entering the number in polar form.
32

MATLAB Rectangular to Polar Conversion

>> z = 3 + 4i
z=
3.0000 + 4.0000i
>> r = abs(z)
r=
5
>> theta = angle(z)
theta =
0.9273
33

Other MATLAB Operations

>> z_conj = conj(z)
z_conj =
3.0000 - 4.0000i
>>real(z)
ans =
3
>> imag(z)
ans =
4
34