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MATH 112: Basic Mathematics

Topic 5 Handout

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Topic 5: Number Systems

Introduction

Welcome to topic five. This topic introduces you to sets of natural numbers, integers, real
numbers and complex numbers. In each case, properties of these sets are given with some proofs
as well as how operations are carried out especially the complex numbers. The topic is, therefore,
designed to prepare you to have a clear understanding of the number systems and how they are
ordered.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this topic you should be able to: -

1. Describe the elements of the number systems.

2. Prove irrational numbers.
3. Solve problems on complex number system.

Introduction to Number Systems

Numbers are the basic building blocks of most of the branches of mathematics. Given any
equation f ( x ) = 0 , we require a set of numbers in which the equation has roots.

5.1 Natural Numbers ( )

This is the smallest number system also called counting numbers or positive integers

= 1, 2,3, 4,....

5.1.1 Properties of Natural Numbers

1. It is closed under the binary operation of addition and multiplication

i.e a, b   a +b
ab 

Note: subtraction and division do not always hold for elements of i.e

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 2,5 but 2 − 5 = −3 
2

5

2. Elements in the set obey associative property under addition and subtraction i.e
a, b, c   ( a + b) + c = a + (b + c )

( ab ) c = a ( bc )
3. Commutative law holds for both addition and multiplication
i.e a, b   a+b = b+a
ab = ba

4. Cancellation law also holds

i.e a, b, c  , a+b = a+c b = c
ab = ac  b = c
5. Orderliness
For n elements in , arrangement of these numbers in ascending
order is possible i.e a1  a2  ... ... ...  an

6. In the set , multiplication has an identity element as 1 but addition does not have an
identity i.e a   a  1 = 1 a = a
7. Consider the equation x + 2 = 1 . This equation has no solution in for x = −1

5.2 Integers ( )
This is the set = ,...,− 2, −1, 0,1, 2,...,

In addition to properties 1 − 6 above, the addition has an identity element as 0 i.e a 

 a+0 = 0+a = a

For the additive inverse of a is − a such that a + ( −a ) = ( −a ) + a = 0

In the set all the equations of the form x + a = b : a, b  have solutions

7
But the equations 2 x − 3 = 4 has no solution since x = 
2
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5.3 Rational Numbers ( )
m 
This is the set =  : m, n  , n  0 and g .c.d of m and n is 1
n 

m
That is a rational number is any number expressible in the form where m, n  , n  0 and
n
the g.c.d of m and n is 1

5 3 2
Examples; , , − , ...
2 7 5

Rational numbers have properties mentioned under integers in addition to the property that

Between any two rational numbers, another ration number exists (That is the set is
incomplete)

Proof

1 p
Let a rational number next to denoted by , p, q  , q  0 . We construct another rational
5 q
1 p
number that lies between and
5 q

1 p
+
5 q
x=
2

q +5p
=
10q

Since x is in the middle

In , equations of the form 9 x − 2 = 0 can be solved.

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5.4 Irrational Numbers ( )c

p
All numbers that are not expressible in the form , q  0, p, q  are called irrational
q
numbers.

If x  then x is either a terminating decimal or a recurring decimal

Examples: 2, 3, 𝜋

Note: To show that a number is irrational, we use the proof by contradiction which is by

(i) Assume the given information is opposite of what we want to show.

(ii) Proceed to show that this is not true i.e that your assumption was wrong.

5.4.1 Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic

Every number can be expressed as a product of its prime factors e.g 60 = 22  3  5 . Thus the
prime numbers of 60 are 2,3 and 5

Example

Show that 2 is irrational

Proof

Suppose 2 is rational

m
 2= where m, n  , n  0 and ( m, n ) = 1
n

Squaring both sides, we get

m2
2=
n2

 2n2 = m2 where 2, m, n 

Expressing m and n in terms of their prime factors

Let m = m1  m2  ... mr where mr ' s are the prime factors of m

n = n1  n2  ...  nt where nt ' s are the prime factors of n

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By substitution

2  n12  n22  ...  nt2 = m12  m22  ....  mr2

1
2t 2r

R.H .S ; If r is even, then it is a product of 2r which is an even number

L.H .S ; If t is also an even number, then it is a product of 2t + 1 prime factors

since 2 is a number.

By FTA it is impossible that R.H .S = L.H .S i.e a product of odd numbers equals a product of

even numbers. This is a contradiction which a rises from the fact that 2 is rational. The
contrary is true, that is 2 is irrational

5.5 Real Numbers ( )

This is the set of all rationals and irrationals i.e =  c

Any real number is represented by appoint on a continuous number line (Real line). All linear
equations of the form ax + b = c have solutions in .

Equations of the form x 2 + 1 = 0 have no solutions in .

5.6 Complex Numbers ( )

The set is the set of ordered pairs of real numbers expressed as


= a + bi : a, b  and i = −1 
A complex number is any number z expressible as z = a + bi where

a is called the real part of z, Re ( z ) = a

b is called the imaginary part of z , Im ( z ) = b

Every real number ( ) is a complex number for if a  , then a = a + 0i

Hence    

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Complex numbers can be represented on the complex plane where the x - axis becomes the real
axis and the y - axis becomes the imaginary axis.

Such a diagram is called Argand Diagram or Complex Plane

Example

Represent the following complex numbers in the complex plane:

z1 = 3 + 2i, z2 = −2 + 4i, z3 = −3 − 3i and z4 = 6 − 5i

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5.6.1 Equality of Complex Numbers

Two complex numbers z1 = x + iy and z2 = a + bi are said to be equal iff Re ( z1 ) = Re ( z2 ) and

Im ( z1 ) = Im ( z 2 )

5.6.2 Complex Conjugate Numbers

If z = x + iy is any complex number, then z = x − iy is called the complex conjugate of z

5.6.3 Operations in Complex Numbers

If z1 = a + bi and z2 = c + di are complex numbers, then

(i) Addition
z1 + z2 = ( a + bi ) + ( c + di )

= ( a + c ) + ( bi + di )

= ( a + c ) + (b + d ) i

(ii) Subtraction
z1 − z2 = ( a + bi ) − ( c + di )

= ( a − c ) + (b − d ) i

(iii)Multiplication
z1 z2 = ( a + bi )( c + di )

= ac + adi + bci + bdi 2

= ac + ( ad + bc ) i − bd since i 2 = −1

= ( ac − bd ) + ( ad + bc ) i

(iv) Division
z1 a + bi
=
z2 c + di

Multiplying both the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of denominator

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 z1 ( a + bi )( c − di )
=
z2 ( c + di )( c − di )

ac − adi + bci − bdi 2

=
c2 + d 2

=
( ac + bd ) + ( bc − ad ) i
c2 + d 2

ac + bd bc − ad
= + i
c2 + d 2 c2 + d 2

Examples

a) z = ( 2 + 3i )
2

= ( 2 + 3i )( 2 + 3i )

= 4 + 6i + 6i + 9i 2
= 4 + 12i − 9 since i 2 = −1
= −5 + 12i

7 − 5i
b) z=
1 + 2i

=
( 7 − 5i )(1 − 2i )
12 + 22

7 − 14i − 5i − 10
=
5

3 19
=− − i
5 5

1
c) z=
3 + 4i

=
1

( 3 − 4i )
( 3 + 4i ) ( 3 − 4i )

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 3 − 4i
=
32 + 42

3 4
= − i
25 25

Note:

Let z = x + yi, then

i) z + z = ( x + iy ) + ( x − iy ) = 2 x

ii) z − z = ( x + yi ) − ( x − yi ) = 2 yi

iii) zz = ( x + yi )( x − yi ) = x 2 + y 2

5.6.4 Modulus - Argument Form

Every complex number z = x + yi corresponds to a point p ( x, y ) on the complex plane

The polar coordinate ( r ,  ) where r is the hypotenuse of the right angled triangle OAP and 

is the angle subtended at the origin O in an anticlockwise direction.

The modulus of the complex number z is the length of the position vector OP . Therefore

z = r = x2 + y 2
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  is called the argument of z , arg z

 y
 = arg ( z ) = tan −1  
 
x

The representation ( r ,  ) is called the modulus - argument form of the complex number z

From the figure above,

adj x
cos  = =  x = r cos 
hyp r

opp y
sin  = =  y = r sin 
hyp r

But

z = x + yi
= r cos  + ir sin 

Therefore z = r ( cos  + i sin  )

Examples

Find the modulus argument form of the following complex numbers

1. z = 5 3 + 5i
Solution

(5 3 )
2
r= z = + 52 = 100 = 10

 5 
 = arg z = tan −1   = 30


5 3

Hence ( r , ) = (10,30 )

1
2. z=
( −5 + 2i )
2

Solution

Write z in the form of z + iy

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 1 1
z= =
( −5 + 2i )( −5 + 2i ) 21 − 20i

21 + 20i
=
212 + 202

21 + 20i
z=
841

21 20
z= + i
841 841

2 2
 21   20 
z =   + 
 841   841 

1
=
29

 20 
arg z = tan −1   = 43.6
 21 

 1 
Therefore ( r ,  ) =  , 43.6 
 29 

Note:

Generally if z = r and arg z =  , then

z n = r n , arg z = n

Therefore if z = r ( cos  + i sin  ) then

z n = r n ( cos n + i sin n ) De’Moivre’s Theorem

Topic Summary

In this topic, you have learned what number system is. You have noted that the number system
is an ordered set of natural numbers, integers, real numbers as well as complex numbers where

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the natural numbers is the smallest set while complex number is the largest set. In each case, you
have also learned the properties of the number systems.

In summary, you learned that;

▪ Numbers are the basic building blocks of most of the branches of mathematics. Given
any equation f ( x ) = 0 , we require a set of numbers in which the equation has roots.

▪ Natural Numbers is the smallest number system also called counting numbers or
positive integers i.e = 1, 2,3, 4,....

▪ The set of integers = ,...,− 2, −1, 0,1, 2,...,

m
▪ A rational number is any number expressible in the form where m, n  , n  0 and
n
the g.c.d of m and n is 1 . The set of rational number is the set

m 
=  : m, n  , n  0 and g .c.d of m and n is 1
n 

Irrational numbers ( ) are those not expressible in the form p

▪ c
, q  0, p, q  . If
q
x then x is either a terminating decimal or a recurring decimal.

▪ Real number is the set of all rationals and irrationals i.e =  c

▪ The set of complex numbers is the set of ordered pairs of real numbers expressed as


= a + bi : a, b  and i = −1 
▪ A complex number is any number z expressible as z = a + bi where

a is called the real part of z, Re ( z ) = a

b is called the imaginary part of z, Im ( z ) = b

▪ The number system is ordered as    

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