Precalculus : Find the Product of Complex Numbers

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Precalculus

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Products And Quotients Of Complex Numbers In Polar Form

Find the value of \(\displaystyle {}(1+i)^{100}\),where \(\displaystyle i\) the complex number is given by \(\displaystyle {}i^2=-1\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle {}-i2^{100}\)

\(\displaystyle {}-2^{100}\)

\(\displaystyle {}i2^{100}\)

\(\displaystyle {}-2^{50}\)

\(\displaystyle {}2^{101}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle {}-2^{50}\)

Explanation:

We note that \(\displaystyle {}(1+i)^{2}=1+2i+i^2=1+2i-1=2i\) by FOILing.

 

We also know that:

\(\displaystyle (z)^{nm}=(z^{n})^{m}\)

 We have by using the above rule: n=2 , m=50

\(\displaystyle (1+i)^{100}=((1+i)^{2})^{50}\)

Since we know that,

\(\displaystyle {}(1+i)^{2}=1+2i+i^2=1+2i-1=2i\)

 

We have then:

\(\displaystyle (1+i)^{100}=((1+i)^{2})^{50}\)\(\displaystyle =(2i)^{50}\)

 

Since we know that:

\(\displaystyle (ab)^{n}=a^{n}b^{n}\), we use a=2 ,b=i

We have then:

\(\displaystyle 2^{50}({i}^2)^{25}=2^{50}(-1)^{25} =-2^{50}}\)

 

Example Question #441 : Pre Calculus

Compute the following sum:

\(\displaystyle {}1+i+i^2+i^3....+i^{2015}\). Remember \(\displaystyle {}i\) is the complex number satisfying \(\displaystyle {}i^{2}=-1\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 0\)

\(\displaystyle {}-i\)

\(\displaystyle {}\frac{1}{1-i}\)

\(\displaystyle {}i\)

\(\displaystyle {}\frac{i}{i-1}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 0\)

Explanation:

Note that this is a geometric series.

Therefore we have:

\(\displaystyle {}1+i+i^2....+i^{2015}=\frac{1-i^{2016}}{1-i}\)

Note that,

  \(\displaystyle {}i^{2016}\)= \(\displaystyle {}({i}^{2})^{1008}\) and since \(\displaystyle {}i^2=-1\)  we have \(\displaystyle {}{-1}^{1008}=1\).

\(\displaystyle \frac{1-1}{1-i}=\frac{0}{1-i}=0\) 

this shows that the sum is 0.

 

Example Question #1 : Polar Coordinates And Complex Numbers

Find the following product.

\(\displaystyle {}(1-i)^{n}(1+i)^n\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle {}2\)

\(\displaystyle {}-2i^{n}\)

\(\displaystyle {}2^{n}\)

\(\displaystyle {}2^{n-1}\)

\(\displaystyle {}2i^{n}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle {}2^{n}\)

Explanation:

Note that by FOILing the two binomials we get the following:

\(\displaystyle {}(1+i)(1-i)=1-i+i-i^2=2\)

Therefore,

\(\displaystyle {}(1-i)^{n}(1-i)^{n}=2^{n}\)

Example Question #2 : Products And Quotients Of Complex Numbers In Polar Form

Compute the magnitude of \(\displaystyle {}(1+i)^{n}\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle {}(1-\sqrt{2})^n\)

\(\displaystyle {}(\sqrt{2})^n+1\)

\(\displaystyle {}(\sqrt{2})^{n+1}\)

\(\displaystyle {}(\sqrt{2})^n\)

\(\displaystyle {}(\sqrt{2})^n-1\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle {}(\sqrt{2})^n\)

Explanation:

We have

\(\displaystyle {}|(1+i)|=\sqrt{2}\)

We know that \(\displaystyle {}|z^n|=|z|^n\)

Thus this gives us,

\(\displaystyle {}|(1+i)^n|=|1+i|^{n}=(\sqrt{2})^{n}\).

Example Question #1 : Products And Quotients Of Complex Numbers In Polar Form

Evaluate:

\(\displaystyle (2+i)\cdot(1+4i)\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 9\)

\(\displaystyle 5i-7\)

\(\displaystyle i+4\)

\(\displaystyle 9i-2\)

\(\displaystyle i^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 9i-2\)

Explanation:

To evaluate this problem we need to FOIL the binomials.

\(\displaystyle (2+i)(1+4i)\)

\(\displaystyle =2(1)+2(4i)+1(i)+4i^2\)

\(\displaystyle =2+9i+4i^2\)

Now recall that \(\displaystyle i^2=-1\)

Thus,

\(\displaystyle =2+9i-4\)

\(\displaystyle =9i-2\)

Example Question #1 : Polar Coordinates And Complex Numbers

Find the product \(\displaystyle ab\), if

\(\displaystyle a=3+7i\:\:\:b=1-i\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 3-3i\)

\(\displaystyle 3+4i\)

\(\displaystyle 10+4i\)

\(\displaystyle 3-7i\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 10+4i\)

Explanation:

To find the product \(\displaystyle ab\), FOIL the complex numbers. FOIL stands for the multiplication of the Firsts, Outers, Inners, and Lasts.

Using this method we get the following,

\(\displaystyle ab=(3+7i)(1-i)=3-3i+7i-7i^2=3+4i-7i^2\)

and because \(\displaystyle i^2=-1\)

\(\displaystyle =3+4i-7(-1)=3+4i+7=10+4i\).

Example Question #1 : Find The Product Of Complex Numbers

Simplify:  \(\displaystyle i^4 \times i^3\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 1\)

\(\displaystyle i\)

\(\displaystyle i+\sqrt{-1}\)

\(\displaystyle -i\)

\(\displaystyle -1\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle -i\)

Explanation:

The expression \(\displaystyle i^4 \times i^3\) can be rewritten as:

\(\displaystyle i^4 \times i^3 = i^2\times i^2\times i^2\times i\)

Since \(\displaystyle i=\sqrt{-1}\), the value of \(\displaystyle i^2 = -1\).

\(\displaystyle i^2\times i^2\times i^2\times i = (-1) (-1) (-1)(i) = -i\)

The correct answer is:  \(\displaystyle -i\)

Example Question #2 : Products And Quotients Of Complex Numbers In Polar Form

Find the product of the two complex numbers

\(\displaystyle \small 3+7i\)  and \(\displaystyle \small 7+10i\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \small 10+17i\)

\(\displaystyle \small 21+79i+70i^2\)

\(\displaystyle \small -49+79i\)

\(\displaystyle \small 21+70i\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \small -49+79i\)

Explanation:

The product is

\(\displaystyle \small (3+7i)(7+10i)=21+30i+49i+70i^2=21-70+79i=-49+79i\)

 

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