Complex Numbers Problems with

Solutions and Answers - Grade 12

Complex numbers are important in applied mathematics. Problems and

questions on complex numbers with detailed solutions are presented.

Evaluate the following expressions

a) (3 + 2i) - (8 - 5i)

b) (4 - 2i)*(1 - 5i)

c) (- 2 - 4i) / i

d) (- 3 + 2i) / (3 - 6i)

2. If (x + yi) / i = ( 7 + 9i ) , where x and y are

real, what is the value of (x + yi)(x - yi)?

3. Determine all complex number z that

satisfy the equation

 z + 3 z' = 5 - 6i

where z' is the complex conjugate of z.

4. Find all complex numbers of the form z =

a + bi , where a and b are real numbers such that

z z' = 25 and a + b = 7

where z' is the complex conjugate of z.

5. The complex number 2 + 4i is one of the

root to the quadratic equation x2 + bx + c = 0,

where b and c are real numbers.

a) Find b and c

b) Write down the second root and check it.

6. Find all complex numbers z such that z2 =

-1 + 2 sqrt(6) i.
7. Find all complex numbers z such that (4 +

2i)z + (8 - 2i)z' = -2 + 10i, where z' is the complex

conjugate of z.

8. Given that the complex number z = -2 +

7i is a root to the equation:

z3 + 6 z2 + 61 z + 106 = 0

find the real root to the equation.

9. a) Show that the complex number 2i is a

root of the equation

z4 + z3 + 2 z2 + 4 z - 8 = 0
 b) Find all the roots root of this equation.

10. P(z) = z4 + a z3 + b z2 + c z + d is a

polynomial where a, b, c and d are real numbers.

Find a, b, c and d if two zeros of polynomial P are

the following complex numbers: 2 - i and 1 - i.

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Solutions to the Above Questions

1. a) -5 + 7i

b) -6 - 22i

c) -4 + 2i

d) -7/15 - 4i/15

2. (x + yi) / i = ( 7 + 9i )

(x + yi) = i(7 + 9i) = -9 + 7i

 (x + yi)(x - yi) = (-9 + 7i)(-9 - 7i) = 81 + 49 = 130

3. Let z = a + bi , z' = a - bi ; a and b real

numbers.

Substituting z and z' in the given equation obtain

a + bi + 3*(a - bi) = 5 - 6i

a + 3a + (b - 3b) i = 5 - 6i

4a = 5 and -2b = -6

a = 5/4 and b = 3

z = 5/4 + 3i

4. z z' = (a + bi)(a - bi)

= a2 + b2 = 25

a + b = 7 gives b = 7 - a

Substitute above in the equation a2 + b2 = 25

 a2 + (7 - a)2 = 25

Solve the above quadratic function for a and use b

= 7 - a to find b.

a = 4 and b = 3 or a = 3 and b = 4

z = 4 + 3i and z = 3 + 4i have the property z z' =

25.

5. a) Substitute solution in equation: (2 + 4i)2

+ b(2 + 4i) + c = 0

Expand terms in equation and rewrite as: (-12 + 2b

+ c) + (16 + 4b)i = 0

Real part and imaginary part equal zero.

-12 + 2b + c = 0 and 16 + 4b = 0

Solve for b: b = -4 , substitute and solve for c: c =

20

b) Since the given equation has real numbers, the

 second root is the complex conjugate of the given

root: 2 - 4i is the second solution.

Check: (2 - 4i)2 - 4 (2 - 4i) + 20

(Expand) = 4 - 16 - 16i - 8 + 16i + 20

= (4 - 16 - 8 + 20) + (-16 + 16)i = 0

6. Let z = a + bi

Substitute into given equation: (a + bi)2 = -1 + 2

sqrt(6) i

Expand: a2 - b2 + 2 ab i = - 1 + 2 sqrt(6) i

Real part and imaginary parts must be equal.

a2 - b2 = - 1 and 2 ab = 2 sqrt(6)

Equation 2 ab = 2 sqrt(6) gives: b = sqrt(6) / a

Substitute: a2 - ( sqrt(6) / a )2) = - 1

a4 - 6 = - a2

Solve above equation and select only real roots: a

 = sqrt(2) and a = - sqrt(2)

Substitute to find b and write the two complex

numbers that satisfies the given equation.

z1 = sqrt(2) + sqrt(3) i , z2 = - sqrt(2) - sqrt(3) i

7. Let z = a + bi where a and b are real

numbers. The complex conjugate z' is written in

terms of a and b as follows: z'= a - bi. Substitute z

and z' in the given equation

(4 + 2i)(a + bi) + (8 - 2i)(a - bi) = -2 + 10i

Expand and separate real and imaginary parts.

(4a - 2b + 8a - 2b) + (4b + 2a - 8b - 2a )i = -2 + 10i

Two complex numbers are equal if their real parts

and imaginary parts are equal. Group like terms.

12a - 4b = -2 and - 4b = 10

Solve the system of the unknown a and b to find:

 b = -5/2 and a = -1

z = -1 - (5/2)i

8. Since z = -2 + 7i is a root to the equation

and all the coefficients in the terms of the equation

are real numbers, then z' the complex conjugate of

z is also a solution. Hence

z3 + 6 z2 + 61 z + 106 = (z - (-2 + 7i))(z - (-2 - 7i))

q(z)

= (z2 + 4z + 53) q(z)

q(z) = [ z3 + 6 z2 + 61 z + 106 ] / [ z2 + 4z + 53 ] = z

+2

Z + 2 is a factor of z3 + 6 z2 + 61 z + 106 and

therefore z = -2 is the real root of the given

equation.
9. a) (2i)4 + (2i)3 + 2 (2i)2 + 4 (2i) - 8

= 16 - 8i - 8 + 8i - 8 = 0

b) 2i is a root -2i is also a root (complex conjugate

because all coefficients are real).

z4 + z3 + 2 z2 + 4 z - 8 = (z - 2i)(z + 2i) q(z)

= (z2 + 4)q(z)

q(z) = z2 + z - 2

The other two roots of the equation are the roots of

q(z): z = 1 and z = -2.

10. Since all coefficients of polynomial P are

real, the complex conjugate to the given zeros are

also zeros of P. Hence

P(z) = (z - (2 - i))(z - (2 + i))(z - (1 - i))(z - (1 + i)) =

= z4 - 6 z3 + 15 z2 - 18 z + 10
 Hence: a = -6, b = 15, c = -18 and d = 10.

Find the values of

1) ln(-5)

2) Ln(-5),

where ln(-5) is a principal logarithm.

1) ln(-5) = ln(|-5|) + i[arg(-5)] = ln(5) +

2) Ln(-5) = ln(|-5|) + i[arg (-5)] + =

= ln(5) + (2k + 1), where k ᮹ integer.

The logarithm function Ln(z) has a singularity at z = 0. If the non-zero complex number z is
expressed in polar coordinates as

with r > 0 and , then

Ln(z) = ln(r) + i( + ), where k is any integer and ln(r) is the usual natural
logarithm of a real number.

A fact that the complex logarithm function is the multi-valued function explains Paradox of
Bernoulli and Leibniz

The paradox of Bernoulli and Leibniz is not an 裬usive㡳e for the complex logarithm function.
Let us look at Example 2.

Example 2

Let us consider identity

Ln(zw) = Ln(z) + Ln(w),

where z = (- + i); w = (-1 + i ).

Then

Ln(zw) = Ln[(- +i)(-1+ i )] = Ln(- 4i) = Ln(4) - i

Ln(z) + Ln(w) = Ln(- +i) + Ln(-1+ i ) = [Ln(2) + i] + [Ln(2) +

i] =

= 2Ln(2) + i [ + ]=

= Ln(4) + i

Ln(4) - i Ln(4) + i
An explanation of the example 2

When we deal with several properties familiar from the real logarithm we should remember
that the complex logarithm is the multi-valued function.

Ln(z) = ln(|z|) + i[arg(z) + ], k = 0, ±1, ±2,...

Ln(zw) = ln(4) - i + 2k1

Ln(z) + Ln(w) = ln(4) + i + 2k2

It is possible to find such k1 and k2, that
ln(4) - i + 2k1 = ln(4) + i + 2k2

For a example:

k1 = 1, k2 = 0

Ln(4) - i +2 = Ln(4) + i