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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 115

87. If a and b are real numbers, prove that the maximum of a ★92. CHEMISTRY In a chemical process, the temperature T is to
and b is given by be kept within 10°C of 200°C. Express this restriction as an
absolute value inequality.
max(a, b)  12 [a b a  b ]
93. APPROXIMATION The area A of a region is approximately
88. Prove that the minimum of a and b is given by
equal to 12.436. The error in this approximation is less than
min(a, b)  12 [ a b  a  b ] 0.001. Describe the possible values of this area both with an
absolute value inequality and with interval notation.
94. APPROXIMATION The volume V of a solid is approximately
APPLICATIONS equal to 6.94. The error in this approximation is less than 0.02.
89. STATISTICS Inequalities of the form Describe the possible values of this volume both with an
absolute value inequality and with interval notation.
xm
` ` 6 n
s ★95. SIGNIFICANT DIGITS If N  2.37 represents a measure-
ment, then we assume an accuracy of 2.37  0.005. Express
occur frequently in statistics. If m  45.4, s  3.2, and n  1, the accuracy assumption using an absolute value inequality.
solve for x.
★96. 103 is a number from a
SIGNIFICANT DIGITS If N  3.65
90. STATISTICS Repeat Problem 89 for m  28.6, s  6.5, and measurement, then we assume an accuracy of 3.65 103
n  2.  5 106. Express the accuracy assumption using an absolute
★91. BUSINESS The daily production P in an automobile assem- value inequality.
bly plant is within 20 units of 500 units. Express the daily pro-
duction as an absolute value inequality.

1-4 Complex Numbers

Z Understanding Complex Number Terminology
Z Performing Operations with Complex Numbers
Z Relating Complex Numbers and Radicals
Z Solving Equations Involving Complex Numbers

The Pythagoreans (500–275 B.C.) found that the simple equation

x2  2 (1)

had no rational number solutions. If equation (1) were to have a solution, then a new
kind of number had to be invented—an irrational number. The irrational numbers 12
and 12 are both solutions to equation (1). Irrational numbers were not put on a
firm mathematical foundation until the nineteenth century. The rational and irrational
numbers together constitute the real number system.
Is there any need to consider another number system? Yes, if we want the sim-
ple equation

x2  1
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116 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

to have a solution. If x is any real number, then x2  0. Thus, x2  1 cannot have

any real number solutions. Once again a new type of number must be invented, a
number whose square can be negative. These new numbers are among the numbers
called complex numbers. The complex numbers evolved over a long period of time,
but, like the real numbers, it was not until the nineteenth century that they were placed
on a firm mathematical foundation (see Table 1).

Table 1 Brief History of Complex Numbers

Approximate
date Person Event

50 Heron of Alexandria First recorded encounter of a square root of a negative number

850 Mahavira of India Said that a negative has no square root, since it is not a square
1545 Cardano of Italy Solutions to cubic equations involved square roots of negative numbers.
1637 Descartes of France Introduced the terms real and imaginary
1748 Euler of Switzerland Used i for 11
1832 Gauss of Germany Introduced the term complex number

Z Understanding Complex Number Terminology

We start the development of the complex number system by defining a complex num-
ber and listing some special terms related to complex numbers.

Z DEFINITION 1 Complex Number

A complex number is a number of the form

a  bi Standard Form

where a and b are real numbers and i is called the imaginary unit.

The imaginary unit i introduced in Definition 1 is not a real number. It is a spe-

cial symbol used in the representation of the elements in this new complex number
system.
Some examples of complex numbers are

3  2i 1
2 5i 2  13i
0 3i 5 0i 0 0i

The notation 3  2i is shorthand for 3 (2)i.

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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 117

Particular kinds of complex numbers are given special names as follows:

Z DEFINITION 2 Special Terms

i Imaginary Unit
a  bi a and b real numbers Complex Number
a  bi b0 Imaginary Number
0  bi  bi b0 Pure Imaginary Number
bi Imaginary Part of a  bi
a  0i  a Real Number
a Real Part of a  bi
0  0  0i Zero
a  bi Conjugate of a  bi

EXAMPLE 1 Complex Numbers

Identify the real part, the imaginary part, and the conjugate of each of the following
numbers:

(A) 3  2i (B) 2 5i (C) 7i (D) 6

SOLUTIONS

(A) Real part: 3; imaginary part: 2i; conjugate: 3 2i

(B) Real part: 2; imaginary part: 5i; conjugate: 2  5i
(C) Real part: 0; imaginary part: 7i; conjugate: 7i
(D) Real part: 6; imaginary part: 0; conjugate: 6 

MATCHED PROBLEM 1

Identify the real part, the imaginary part, and the conjugate of each of the following
numbers:

(A) 6 7i (B) 3  8i (C) 4i (D) 9 

In Definition 2, notice that we identify a complex number of the form a 0i

with the real number a, a complex number of the form 0 bi, b  0, with the pure
imaginary number bi, and the complex number 0 0i with the real number 0. Thus,
a real number is also a complex number, just as a rational number is also a real num-
ber. Any complex number that is not a real number is called an imaginary number.
If we combine the set of all real numbers with the set of all imaginary numbers, we
obtain C, the set of complex numbers. The relationship of the complex number
system to the other number systems we have studied is shown in Figure 1.
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118 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

Z Figure 1
Complex numbers and important Complex numbers (C )
subsets NZQRC
Real numbers (R ) Imaginary numbers

Rational numbers (Q) Irrational numbers (I )

Integers (Z ) Noninteger ratios of integers

Natural numbers (N ) Zero Negatives of natural numbers

Z Performing Operations with Complex Numbers

To use complex numbers, we must know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide
them. We start by defining equality, addition, and multiplication.

Z DEFINITION 3 Equality and Basic Operations

1. Equality: a bi  c di if and only if a  c and b  d

2. Addition: (a bi) (c di)  (a c) (b d )i
3. Multiplication: (a bi)(c di)  (ac  bd) (ad bc)i

In Section R-1 we listed the basic properties of the real number system. Using
Definition 3, it can be shown that the complex number system possesses the same
properties. That is,

1. Addition and multiplication of complex numbers are commutative and associative

operations.
2. There is an additive identity and a multiplicative identity for complex numbers.
3. Every complex number has an additive inverse or negative.
4. Every nonzero complex number has a multiplicative inverse or reciprocal.
5. Multiplication distributes over addition.

As a consequence of these properties, we can manipulate complex number sym-

bols of the form a bi just like we manipulate binomials of the form a bx, as
long as we remember that i is a special symbol for the imaginary unit, not for a real
number. Thus, you will not have to memorize the definitions of addition and multi-
plication of complex numbers. We now discuss these operations and some of their
properties. Others will be considered in Exercises 1-4.
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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 119

EXAMPLE 2 Addition of Complex Numbers

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

(A) (2  3i) (6 2i) (B) (5 4i) (0 0i)

SOLUTIONS

(A) We could apply the definition of addition directly, but it is easier to use complex
number properties.

(2  3i) (6 2i)  2  3i 6 2i Remove parentheses.

 (2 6) (3 2)i Combine like terms.

8i
(B) (5 4i) (0 0i)  5 4i 0 0i
 5 4i 

MATCHED PROBLEM 2

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

(A) (3 2i) (6  4i) (B) (0 0i) (7  5i) 

Example 2B and Matched Problem 2B illustrate the following general result: For
any complex number a bi,

(a bi) (0 0i)  (0 0i) (a bi)  a bi

Thus, 0 0i is the additive identity or zero for the complex numbers. We antici-
pated this result in Definition 2 when we identified the complex number 0 0i with
the real number 0.
The additive inverse or negative of a bi is a  bi because

(a bi) (a  bi)  (a  bi) (a bi)  0

EXAMPLE 3 Negation and Subtraction

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

(A) (4  5i) (B) (7  3i)  (6 2i) (C) (2 7i) (2  7i)
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120 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

SOLUTIONS

(A) (4  5i)  (1)(4  5i)  4 5i

(B) (7  3i)  (6 2i)  7  3i  6  2i Remove parentheses.

 1  5i Combine like terms.

(C) (2 7i) (2  7i)  2 7i 2  7i  0 

MATCHED PROBLEM 3

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

(A) (3 2i) (B) (3  5i)  (1  3i) (C) (4 9i) (4  9i) 

Now we turn our attention to multiplication. First, we use the definition of mul-
tiplication to see what happens to the complex unit i when it is squared:

a b c d
i2  (0 1i)(0 1i)
a c b d a d b c
 (0  0  1  1) (0  1 1  0)i
 1 0i
 1

Thus, we have proved that

i 2  1

Just as was the case with addition and subtraction, multiplication of complex
numbers can be carried out by using the properties of complex numbers rather than
the definition of multiplication. We just replace i2 with 1 each time it occurs.

EXAMPLE 4 Multiplying Complex Numbers

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

(A) (2  3i)(6 2i) (B) 1(3  5i)

(C) i(1 i) (D) (3 4i)(3  4i)

SOLUTIONS

(A) (2  3i)(6 2i)  2(6 2i)  3i(6 2i)

 12 4i  18i  6i2 Replace i 2 with 1.

 12  14i  6(1)
 18  14i
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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 121

(B) 1(3  5i)  1  3  1  5i  3  5i

(C) i(1 i)  i i2  i  1  1 i
(D) (3 4i)(3  4i)  9  12i 12i  16i2
 9 16  25 

MATCHED PROBLEM 4

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

(A) (5 2i)(4  3i) (B) 3(2 6i)

(C) i(2  3i) (D) (2 3i)(2  3i) 

For any complex number a bi,

1(a bi)  (a bi)1  a bi

(see Example 4B). Thus, 1 is the multiplicative identity for complex numbers, just
as it is for real numbers.
Earlier we stated that every nonzero complex number has a multiplicative inverse
or reciprocal. We will denote this as a fraction, just as we do with real numbers. Thus,

1
is the reciprocal of a bi a bi  0
a bi

The following important property of the conjugate of a complex number is used

to express reciprocals and quotients in standard form.

Z THEOREM 1 Product of a Complex Number and Its Conjugate

(a bi)(a  bi)  a2 b2 A real number

EXAMPLE 5 Reciprocals and Quotients

Write each expression in standard form:

1 7  3i
(A) (B)
2 3i 1 i
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122 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

SOLUTIONS

(A) Multiply numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator:

1 1 2  3i 2  3i 2  3i
   
2 3i 2 3i 2  3i 4  9i2
4 9

2  3i 2 3
   i
13 13 13

This answer can be checked by multiplication:

3i) a
2 3 4 6 6 9 2
CHECK (2  ib   i i i
13 13 13 13 13 13
4 9
 1
13 13

7  3i 7  3i 1  i 7  7i  3i 3i2
(B)   
1 i 1 i 1i 1  i2

4  10i
  2  5i
2

CHECK (1 i)(2  5i)  2  5i 2i  5i2  7  3i 

MATCHED PROBLEM 5

Carry out each operation and express the answer in standard form:

1 6 7i
(A) (B) 
4 2i 2i

EXAMPLE 6 Combined Operations

Carry out the indicated operations and write each answer in standard form:

2  3i
(A) (3  2i)2  6(3  2i) 13 (B)
2i

SOLUTIONS

(A) (3  2i)2  6(3  2i) 13  9  12i 4i2  18 12i 13

 9  12i  4  18 12i 13
0
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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 123

(B) If a complex number is divided by a pure imaginary number, we can make the
denominator real by multiplying numerator and denominator by i.

2  3i i 2i  3i2 2i 3 3
    i 
2i i 2i2
2 2

MATCHED PROBLEM 6

Carry out the indicated operations and write each answer in standard form:

4i
(A) (3 2i)2  6(3 2i) 13 (B) 
3i

ZZZ EXPLORE-DISCUSS 1

Natural number powers of i take on particularly simple forms:

i i5  i4  i  (1)i  i
i  1
2
i6  i4  i2  1(1)  1
i3  i2  i  (1)i  i i7  i4  i3  1(i)  i
i4  i2  i2  (1)(1)  1 i8  i4  i4  1  1  1

In general, what are the possible values for i n, n a natural number? Explain
how you could easily evaluate i n for any natural number n. Then evaluate
each of the following:

(A) i17 (B) i24 (C) i38 (D) i 47

Z Relating Complex Numbers and Radicals

Recall that we say that a is a square root of b if a2  b. If x is a positive real num-
ber, then x has two square roots, the principal square root, denoted by 1x, and its
negative, 1x (Section R-3). If x is a negative real number, then x still has two square
roots, but now these square roots are imaginary numbers.

Z DEFINITION 4 Principal Square Root of a Negative Real Number

The principal square root of a negative real number, denoted by 1a,

where a is positive, is defined by

1a  i1a 13  i13 19  i 19  3i

The other square root of a, a 7 0, is 1a  i 1a.

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124 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

Note in Definition 4 that we wrote i 1a and i 13 in place of the standard forms

1a i and 13 i. We follow this convention whenever it appears that i might acciden-
tally slip under a radical sign (1a i  1a i, but 1a i  i 1a). Definition 4 is moti-
vated by the fact that
(i 1a)2  i2a  a

EXAMPLE 7 Complex Numbers and Radicals

Write in standard form:

3  15 1
(A) 14 (B) 4 15 (C) (D)
2 1  19

SOLUTIONS

(A) 14  i14  2i (B) 4 15  4 i 15

3  15 3  i15 3 15
(C)    i
2 2 2 2
1 1 1  (1  3i )
(D)  
1  19 1  3i (1  3i)  (1  3i )
1 3i 1 3i 1 3
   i 
1  9i2
10 10 10

MATCHED PROBLEM 7

Write in standard form:

5  12 1
(A) 116 (B) 5 17 (C) (D) 
2 3  14

ZZZ EXPLORE-DISCUSS 2

From Theorem 1 in Section R-3, we know that if a and b are positive real
numbers, then
1a 1b  1ab (2)

Thus, we can evaluate expressions like 19 14 two ways:

19 14  1(9)(4)  136  6 and 19 14  (3)(2)  6

Evaluate each of the following two ways. Is equation (2) a valid property to
use in all cases?

(A) 19 14 (B) 19 14 (C) 19 14

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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 125

ZZZ CAUTION ZZZ

Note that in Example 7D, we wrote 1  19  1  3i before proceeding

with the simplification. Writing a complex number in standard form is a nec-
essary step because some of the properties of radicals that are true for real
numbers turn out not to be true for complex numbers. In particular, for pos-
itive real numbers a and b,

1a 1b  1ab but 1a 1b  1(a)(b)

(See Explore-Discuss 2.)

Z Solving Equations Involving Complex Numbers

EXAMPLE 8 Equations Involving Complex Numbers

(A) Solve for real numbers x and y:

(3x 2) (2y  4)i  4 6i
(B) Solve for complex number z:
(3 2i)z  3 6i  8  4i

SOLUTIONS

(A) Equate the real and imaginary parts of each side of the equation to form two
equations:

Real Parts Imaginary Parts

3x 2  4 2y  4  6
3x  6 2y  10
x  2 y5
(B) (3 2i)z  3 6i  8  4i Add 3  6i to both sides.

(3 2i)z  11  10i Divide both sides by 3  2i.

11  10i
z Multiply numerator and denominator by 3  2i.
3 2i
(11  10i)(3  2i)
 Simplify.
(3 2i)(3  2i)
13  52i

13
 1  4i

A check is left to the reader. 

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126 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

MATCHED PROBLEM 8

(A) Solve for real numbers x and y:

(2y  7) (3x 4)i  1 i
(B) Solve for complex number z:
(1 3i)z 4  5i  3 2i 

Early resistance to these new numbers is suggested by the words used to name
them: complex and imaginary. In spite of this early resistance, complex numbers have
come into widespread use in both pure and applied mathematics. They are used exten-
sively, for example, in electrical engineering, physics, chemistry, statistics, and aero-
nautical engineering. Our first use of them will be in connection with solutions of
second-degree equations in Section 1-5.

ANSWERS TO MATCHED PROBLEMS

1. (A) Real part: 6; imaginary part: 7i; conjugate: 6  7i (B) Real part: 3;
imaginary part: 8i; conjugate: 3 8i (C) Real part: 0; imaginary part: 4i;
conjugate: 4i (D) Real part: 9; imaginary part: 0; conjugate: 9
2. (A) 9  2i (B) 7  5i
3. (A) 3  2i (B) 2  2i (C) 0
4. (A) 26  7i (B) 6 18i (C) 3 2i (D) 13
5. (A) 15  101 i (B) 1 4i
6. (A) 0 (B) 13  43 i
7. (A) 4i (B) 5 i 17 (C) 52  (122)i (D) 133 2
13 i
8. (A) x  1, y  4 (B) z  2 i

1-4 Exercises

For each number in Problems 1–12, find (A) real part, In Problems 13–38, perform the indicated operations and
(B) imaginary part, and (C) conjugate. write each answer in standard form.
3 5 13. (3 5i) (2 4i) 14. (4 i) (5 3i)
1. 2  9i 2. 6i 4 3.  i
2 6 15. (8  3i) (5 6i) 16. (1 2i) (4  7i)
3 4 5i)  (6 7i)  (2
4. 4.2  9.7i 5. 6.5 2.1i 6. i 17. (9 2i) 18. (3 5i)
5 5
19. (3  4i)  (5 6i) 20. (4  2i)  (1 i)
7. i 8. 6 9. 4
21. 2 (3i 5) 22. (2i 7)  4i
10. 2i 11. 5 i12 12. 4  i17
23. (2i)(4i) 24. (3i)(5i) 25. 2i(4  6i)
26. (4i)(2  3i) 27. (1 2i)(3  4i)
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S E C T I O N 1–4 Complex Numbers 127

28. (2  i)(5 6i) 29. (3  i)(4 i) In Problems 65–68, for what real values of x does each
expression represent an imaginary number?
30. (5 2i)(4  3i) 31. (2 9i)(2  9i)
65. 13  x 66. 15 x
1
32. (3 8i)(3  8i) 33. 67. 12  3x 68. 13 2x
2 4i
i 4 3i 3  5i
34. 35. 36. Use a calculator to compute Problems 69–72. Write in
3 i 1 2i 2i
standard form a bi, where a and b are computed to three
7 i 5 10i significant digits.
37. 38.
2 i 3 4i
69. (3.17  4.08i)(7.14 2.76i)
70. (6.12 4.92i)(1.82  5.05i)
In Problems 39–46, evaluate and express results in standard
form. 8.14 2.63i 7.66 3.33i
71. 72.
3.04 6.27i 4.72  2.68i
39. 12 18 40. 13 112
41. 12 18 42. 13 112
In Problems 73–76, solve for x and y.
43. 12 18 44. 13 112
73. (2x  1) (3y 2)i  5  4i
45. 12 18 46. 13 112
74. 3x ( y  2)i  (5  2x) (3y  8)i
(1 x) ( y  2)i
In Problems 47–56, convert imaginary numbers to standard 75. 2i
form, perform the indicated operations, and express answers 1 i
in standard form. (2 x) ( y 3)i
76.  3 i
47. (2  14) (5  19) 1i
48. (3  14) (8 125)
In Problems 77–80, solve for z. Express answers in standard
49. (9  19)  (12  125)
form.
50. (2  136)  (4 149)
77. (2 i)z i  4i
51. (3  14)(2 149)
78. (3  i)z 2i
52. (2  11)(5 19)
79. 3iz (2  4i)  (1 2i)z  3i
5  14 6  164
53. 54. 80. (2  i)z (1  4i)  (1 3i)z (4 2i)
7 2
1 1
55. 56. 81. Explain what is wrong with the following “proof ” that
2  19 3  116 1  1:
1  i2  11 11  1(1)(1)  11  1
Write Problems 57–62 in standard form.
82. Explain what is wrong with the following “proof ” that
57.
2
58.
1 1i  i. What is the correct value of 1 i?
5i 3i
1 1 11 1
1 3i 2i     11  i
59. 60. i 11 11 A 1
2i 3i
61. (2  3i)2  2(2  3i) 9 In Problems 83–86, perform the indicated operations, and
62. (2  i) 2
3(2  i)  5 write each answer in standard form.
83. (a bi)(a  bi) 84. (u  vi)(u vi)
63. Evaluate x  2x 2
2 for x  1  i. a bi
85. (a bi)(c di) 86.
64. Evaluate x  2x 2
2 for x  1 i. c di
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128 CHAPTER 1 EQUATIONS AND INEQUALITIES

87. Show that i4k  1, k a natural number Reason

1.
88. Show that i4k 1
 i, k a natural number
2.
3.
Supply the reasons in the proofs for the theorems stated in
Problems 89 and 90.
Letters z and w are often used as complex variables, where
89. Theorem: The complex numbers are commutative under z  x yi, w  u vi, and x, y, u, v are real numbers. The
addition. conjugates of z and w, denoted by z and w, respectively, are
Proof: Let a bi and c di be two arbitrary complex given by z  x  yi and w  u  vi. In Problems 91–98,
numbers; then: express each property of conjugates verbally and then prove
the property.
Statement
1. (a bi) (c di)  (a c) (b d )i 91. zz is a real number.
2.  (c a) (d b)i
92. z z is a real number.
3.  (c di) (a bi)
93. z  z if and only if z is real.
Reason
1. 94. z  z
2.
95. z wz w
3.
96. z  w  z  w
90. Theorem: The complex numbers are commutative under
multiplication. 97. zw  z  w
Proof: Let a bi and c di be two arbitrary complex
numbers; then: 98. zw  z w

Statement
1. (a bi)  (c di)  (ac  bd ) (ad bc)i
2.  (ca  db) (da cb)i
3.  (c di)(a bi)

1-5 Quadratic Equations and Applications

Z Using Factoring to Solve Quadratic Equations
Z Using the Square Root Property to Solve Quadratic Equations
Z Using Completing the Square to Solve Quadratic Equations
Z Using the Quadratic Formula to Solve Quadratic Equations
Z Solving Applications Involving Quadratic Equations

The next class of equations we consider are the second-degree polynomial equations
in one variable, called quadratic equations.