Sixth Form Further Mathematics
Election Term Revision: Complex numbers
1. Simplify each of the following:
(a) (1 + i)(2 − 3i) (d) in for n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5....
1
(b) (x + 2yi)(2x + yi) (e)
2 + 3i
3i − 2
(c) (p + 2qi)(p − 2qi) (f)
1 + 2i
2. Write the following in modulus-argument form, [r, θ]:
√
(a) 2 + i (d) 1 − 3i
(b) −1 + 2i (e) cos θ − i sin θ
(c) 3i (f) sin θ + i cos θ
3. Solve for z:
(a) 3 + 4i + z (2 + i) = 1 (c) z 2 − 4z + 29 = 0
2+i
(b) =5+i (d) z 2 + iz + 6 = 0
iz
In part c all the coefficients were real numbers and in part d this was not the case. How
is this reflected in your answers?
4. Use an algebraic method to find the complex numbers z such that z 2 = −5 − 12i.
5. Given that 2 + 3i is a root of the equation 2x3 − 3x2 + 6x + 65 = 0, solve this equation.
6. Given that 1 − i is a root of the equation x4 − 4x3 + 3x2 + 2x − 6 = 0, find the other
three roots.
7. Given that z = 3 + 4i and w = 12 + 5i find the modulus and argument of the following.
Give arguments to three significant figures, where −π < arg(z) < π.
(a) z (f) z ∗
(b) w (g) w∗
(c) 1
z (h) (zw)∗
1
(d) w (i) w2
(e) zw (j) z 3
1 [Turn over]
√ 4 √ 4
8. Simplify 1 + 3i − 1 − 3i .
9. In modulus-argument form, the complex number z = [r, α]. Find the following in
modulus-argument form:
(a) 2z 1
(d)
z
(b) z 2 (e) iz
(c) z ∗ (f) −z
10. Find the modulus and argument of the complex number ω = 1 + i. Hence find an
expression for ω 101 .
11. The complex number 2 + i has argument α. Without calculating α directly, use complex
numbers to deduce the value of cos 4α.
√
12. (a) On an Argand diagram plot the locus of points satisfying |z − 2 3 − 2i| = 2.
(b) Determine in the form a + bi the complex number with the greatest principle argu-
ment that lies on this locus.
13. On an Argand diagram indicate by shading the region satisfying
{z : |z − 3i| ≤ 2} ∩ {z : |z + 1| ≤ |z − 3|}.
14. On an Argand diagram plot the locus of points for which arg(z − 1) = arg(z − i).
15. The complex number z is such that |z| = 1 prove that − π2 < arg(z + 1) < π
2
2 [Turn over]
Answers
1. (a) 5 − i (d) in cycles through i, −1, −i, 1
2 − 3i
(b) 2x2 − 2y 2 + 5xyi (e)
13
4 + 7i
(c) p2 + 4q 2 (f)
5
√
5, arctan 21 or [ 5, 0.464] (d) 2, − π3 or 2, 5π
√
2. (a) 3
√ √
(b) 5, π − arctan 2 or [ 5, 2.03] (e) [1, −θ]
(c) 3, π2 (f) 1, π2 − θ
8 + 6i (c) z = 2 ± 5i
3. (a) z = −
5
3 − 11i
(b) z = (d) z = 2i, −3i
26
Roots in conjugate pairs ⇐⇒ coefficients real.
4. Let z = a + bi. Then a2 − b2 = −5 and 2ab = −12. Solving by substitution gives
a4 + 5a2 − 36 = 0. Therefore a2 = 4 or a2 = −9. But a is a real number, so a2 = 4. This
gives a = ±2 and b = ∓3. So z = ±(2 − 3i).
5. The other non-real root is 2 − 3i. The sum of the roots is 32 , so the third root is − 52 .
6. z = 1 ± i, −1, 3
7. (a) |z| = 5, arg(z) = arctan( 34 ) = 0.927
5
(b) |w| = 13, arg(w) = arctan( 12 ) = 0.395
(c) | z1 | = 15 , arg( z1 ) = −0.927
(d) | w1 | = 1
13 , arg( w1 ) = −0.395
(e) |zw| = |z||w| = 65, arg(zw) = arg(z) + arg(w) = 1.32
(f) |z ∗ | = 5, arg(z ∗ ) = − arg(z) = −0.927
(g) |w∗ | = 13, arg(w∗ ) = − arg(w) = −0.395
(h) |(zw)∗ | = |z||w| = 65 , arg(zw)∗ = −1.32
(i) |w2 | = 169, arg(w2 ) = 2 arg(w) = 0.790
(j) |z 3 | = 53 =125, arg(z 3 ) = 3 arg(z) = 3 arctan( 43 ) = 2.78
3 [Turn over]
√
8. −16 3 i
Check you understand how to do this using binomial expansion and using ideas of mod-
ulus and argument.
1
9. (a) [2r, α] (d) r , −α
(b) [r2 , 2α] (e) r, π2 + α
(c) [r, −α] (f) [r, α + π]
√ π
10. (a) 2 and 4
(b) −250 (1 + i)
√ 4
11. The modulus of (2 + i)4 is 5 = 25 and the argument of (2 + i)4 is 4α. The real part
of (2 + i)4 is −7 (using binomial expansion).
7
Therefore cos 4α = − .
25
√
12. (a) The locus is a circle centre 2 3 + 2i and radius 2.
I z
√
2 3 + 2i
0 R
(b) The point z is the required point. The triangles drawn on the diagram
√
are congruent,
π 3 3 3
so in modulus argument form z = [3, 3 ]. Therefore z = 2 + 2 i.
4 [Turn over]
13. The locus consists of a circle centre 3i and radius 2 and the perpendicular bisector of
−1 and 3. That is, a vertical line through 1. The major sector of this circle should be
shaded.
I
5
0 1 R
14. The locus consists of two half lines. They are part of the line with Cartesian equation
x + y = 1.
I
0 1 R
15. If |z| = 1 then z + 1 lies on a circle with radius 1 and centre 1, as illustrated below.
I z+1
θ
0 1 R
This lies in the second and fourth quadrant, so − π2 < arg(z + 1) < π2 .
NJS: 09.05.2025
