Imaginary & Complex Numbers

Once upon a time…

1  no real solution
-In the set of real numbers, negative numbers do
not have square roots.

-Imaginary numbers were invented so that negative

numbers would have square roots and certain
equations would have solutions.

-These numbers were devised using an imaginary

unit named i.

i  1
-The imaginary numbers consist of all numbers bi,
where b is a real number and i is the imaginary unit,
with the property that i² = -1.

-The first four powers of i establish an important

pattern and should be memorized.

Powers of i
i i
1
i  1
2
i  i
3
i 1
4
 i 1
4

i  i
3
i

i  1
2 Divide the exponent by 4
No remainder: answer is 1.
remainder of 1: answer is i.
remainder of 2: answer is –1.
remainder of 3:answer is –i.
Powers of i
1.) Find i23  i
2.) Find i2006  1
3.) Find i37 i
4.) Find i828 1
 Complex Number System
Reals
Imaginary

Rationals i, 2i, -3-7i, etc.

(fractions, decimals)
Integers
(…, -1, -2, 0, 1, 2, …)

Irrationals
Whole (no fractions)
(0, 1, 2, …) pi, e

Natural
(1, 2, …)
Simplify. -Express these numbers in terms of i.

3.)
1.) 5  1*5  1 5  i 5

4.)  7   1* 7   1 7  i 7
2.)

3.)
5.) 99  1* 99  1 99
 i 3  3  11
 3i 11
You try…
6. 7  i 7

7.  36  6i
8. 160  4i 10
To multiply imaginary numbers or
an imaginary number by a real
number, it is important first to
express the imaginary numbers in
terms of i.
Multiplying
9. 47i  2  94i
10. 2i  5  2i  1 5  2i  i 5
 2i 2
5  2 5
11.  3  7  i 3  i 7  i 2
21
 (1) 21  21
 Complex Numbers

a + bi
real imaginary
The complex numbers consist of all sums a + bi,
where a and b are real numbers and i is the imaginary
unit. The real part is a, and the imaginary part is bi.
 Add or Subtract
12.
7.) 7i  9i  16i

13.
8.) (5  6i )  (2  11i)  3 5i

14.
9.) (2  3i)  (4  2i)  2  3i  4  2i
 2  i
Multiplying & Dividing
Complex Numbers
 REMEMBER: i² = -1

Multiply
1) 3i  4i  12i  12(1)  12
2

2) 7i 
2
 7 i  49( 1)  49
2 2
 You try…
3)
7i 12i  84i  84( 1)
2

 84
4) 11i    11 i   121( 1)
2 2 2

 121
 Multiply
5) 4  3i 7  2i 
 28 8i 21i 6i
2

 28  29i  6i 2

 28  29i  6( 1)
 28  29i  6
 22  29i
 You try…
6) 2  i 3  10i 
 6  20i  3i  10i 2

 6  17i  10i 2

 6  17i  10 1
 6 17i  10
 16 17i
 You try…
7)
5  7i 5  7i 
 2535i 35i 49i
2

 25  49(1)
 25  49
 74
 Conjugate
-The conjugate of a + bi is a – bi

-The conjugate of a – bi is a + bi
 Find the conjugate of each
number…
8) 3  4i 3  4i

9) 4  7i 4  7i
10) 5i 5i
11)6 6
Because 6  0i is the same as 6  0i
12)
Divide…
5  9i 1  i 5  5i  9i  9i 2

1 i 1  i 1 i  i  i 2

14  4i 14  4i

1 i 2 
2
 7  2i
You try…
13)
2  3i 3  5i 6  10i  9i  15i 2

3  5i 3  5i 9  15i  15i  25i 2

9  19i 9  19i
 2 
9  25i 34