What does addition look like on an Argand diagram?
In Cartesian form two complex numbers are added by adding the real and imaginary parts
When plotted on an Argand diagram the complex number?z1??+?z2?is the longer diagonal of the parallelogram with vertices at the origin,?z1?,?z2?and?z1??+?z2
What does subtraction look like on an Argand diagram?
In Cartesian form the difference of two complex numbers is found by subtracting the real and imaginary parts
When plotted on an Argand diagram the complex number?z1??-?z2?is the shorter diagonal of the parallelogram with vertices at the origin,?z1?,?-?z2?and?z1??-?z2?
What are the geometrical representations of complex addition and subtraction?
Exam Tip
Take extra care when representing a subtraction of a complex number geometrically
Remember that your answer will be a translation of the shorter diagonal of the parallelogram made up by the two complex numbers
On an Argand diagram represent the complex numbers?z1,?z2,?z1??+?z2?and?z1??-?z2?.
Geometry of Complex Multiplication & Division
What do multiplication and division look like on an Argand diagram?
The geometrical effect of multiplying a complex number by a real number,?a, will be an enlargement of the vector by scale factor?a
For positive values of?a?the direction of the vector will not change but the distance of the point from the origin will increase by scale factor?a
For negative values of?a?the direction of the vector will change and the distance of the point from the origin will increase by scale factor?a
The geometrical effect of dividing a complex number by a real number,?a, will be an enlargement of the vector by scale factor 1/a
For positive values of?a?the direction of the vector will not change but the distance of the point from the origin will increase by scale factor 1/a
For negative values of?a?the direction of the vector will change and the distance of the point from the origin will increase by scale factor 1/a
The geometrical effect of multiplying a complex number by i will be a rotation of the vector 90° counter-clockwise
i(x + yi) = -y?+?xi
The geometrical effect of multiplying a complex number by an imaginary number,?ai, will be a rotation 90° counter-clockwise and an enlargement by scale factor?a
ai(x + yi) = -ay?+?axi
The geometrical effect of multiplying or dividing a complex number by a complex number will be an enlargement and a rotation
The direction of the vector will change
The angle of rotation is the?argument
?The distance of the point from the origin will change
The scale factor is the?modulus
What does complex conjugation look like on an Argand diagram?
The geometrical effect of plotting a?complex conjugate?on an Argand diagram is a reflection in the real axis
The?real?part of the complex number will stay the same and the?imaginary?part will change sign
Exam Tip
Make sure you remember the transformations that different operations have on complex numbers, this could help you check your calculations in an exam
Worked Example
Consider the complex number?z?= 2 - i.
On an Argand diagram represent the complex numbers z, 3z, iz, z*?and?zz*.