LINEAR ALGEBRA WITH APPLICATIONS

MATH 211

Complex Numbers
Polar Form

Lecture Notes by Karen Seyffarth*

Adapted by Mayada Shahada

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Page 1/11

Complex Numbers in Polar Form
p
Suppose z = a + bi, and let r = |z| = a2 + b 2 . Then r is the distance
from z to the origin. Denote by q the angle measured counterclockwise
from the positive real axis to the line segment through 0 and z.

y z = a + bi
Los =
-
T
z = a + bi
-

Sin ②
r
b

cos(+ 211) E = q O
a

0 a x
Sin
( 2T) = +
& [
Then q is an angle defined by cos q = ar and sin q = br , so
=

z = r cos q + r sin q i = r (cos q + i sin q ).

q is called an-
=
argument of z, and is denoted arg z.
Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 2/11
The Polar Form

Definition (Polar Form of a Complex Number)

Let z be a complex number with |z| = r and arg z = q . Then
z = re iq = r (cos q + i sin q ) 1Z1 = 2

is called a polar form of z. argZ =

z =
zezki
Definition sin,
Let z be a complex number with |z| = r . The principal argument of z is
the unique angle q = arg z (measured in radians) such that
-

p < q  p.

·
Complex Numbers: Polar Form
&

Polar Form Page 3/11

 Example
Find the polar form for the number z = 1. = 1 + oi
-
-

Solution
To convertpz to polar form, we need to find r and q so that 1 = re iq . Now
&
=

r = |z| = 12 = 1, and q = 0 is the argument for z = 1. Thus z = 1 = e 0i .

=>

=
- -
=

1 ,
sinp=
Although we use the principle argument of z = 1 to express it in polar
- -

form, we may also write

-

1 = e 2pi , 1 = e 2pi
, e 4pi , e 6pi , . . .
-

Since sine and cosine have periodicity 2p, we may add (or subtract)
multiples of 2p to q = 0.
=>

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 4/11

Converting to Polar Form
Example
p
Convert the number z = 2 + 2 3i to polar form.
-

Solution
p z to polar form, we need to find r and q so that
To convert =
=

2 + 2 3i = re iq . Since r = |z|,
q p p p
r = ( 2)2 + (2 3)2 = 4 + 4(3) = 16 = 4. - -
- -

p y
( 2, 2 3)

p
2 3 4 q

2 0 x

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 5/11

 Solution (continued)
p
The argument, q , for z = 2 + 2 3i is an angle satisfying
& p [p
2 1 2 3 3
cos q = = and sin q = = .&
4 2 4 2
> A
2p
The angle with these properties is q = 3 , and thus z can be written in
polar form as z = 4e i(2p/3) .
=

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 6/11

 Exercise 1
Convert the following complex number to polar form.
p
3 i

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 7/11

Converting from Polar Form to Cartesian form

Problem [
Let z = 2e 2pi/3 .
-
Write z in the form z = a + bi (this is called Cartesian
- -

form or Standard form).

-
-

Solution
First, remember that e iq = cos q + i sin q , and thus
-
-

-p X
2pi/3 1 3
Therefore e = cos(2p/3) + i sin(2p/3) = +i .
2! 2
E p
1 3
z = 2e 2pi/3 = 2 +i
- -

-
2 2
p-

= 1 + 3i. -

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 8/11

 Exercise 2
Express the following complex number in Cartesian form.

2e 3pi/4

Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 9/11

Using the Polar Form
Problems involving multiplication of complex numbers can often be solved more
easily by using polar forms of the complex numbers.
Theorem
If z1 = r1 e iq1 and z2 = r2 e iq2 are complex numbers, then

z 1 z 2 = r 1 r 2 e i ( q1 + q2 )

Theorem (De Moivre’s Theorem)

If q is any angle and n is a positive integer,
⇣ ⌘n
e iq = e inq .

As an immediate consequence of De Moivre’s Theorem, we have that for any real

number r > 0 and any positive integer n,

(re iq )n = r n e inq
(r (cos q + i sin q ))n = r n (cos(nq ) + i sin(nq ))
Complex Numbers: Polar Form Polar Form Page 10/11
 Problem
⇣ p ⌘17
1 3
Express 2 i in the form a + bi.&
=

2 =
-

Solution
p
Let z = 1 3 pi/3 . Then
2 2 i =e
un
-

⇣ ⌘17
z 17 = e
-
pi/3
-
+ 3(2
=

17pi/3
= e
-
=

= e pi/3
p p
= cos + i sin
1
3p
3
3
- =

= + i.
2 2
=

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