Argand diagrams: modulus,

argument and polar form

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 The Argand plane
The plane of complex numbers is known as the Argand plane.
The y-axis is the imaginary part and the x-axis is the real part.
Examples
z1  3  2i z1  z2
z2  2  i
Draw a sketch to show
2z 2  z1
each of these:
z2

z1  z2

2z2
z1 
*

 z1 
*
z1  z2 1 3i
2z 2   4  2i

z1 
*
 3  2i 
 Modulus
The modulus, z, is the length the linez.
Examples
z1  3  2i
z2  2  i
Find, z1
z1 and z2 z2
z1  32  22  13

z2  22 12  5
Find, 
z1  z 2 10 
2z 2  2 5
z1 
*
13
 Argument
The argument of a complex number is the angle,, made between
the line and the positive axis.

Note that:      
Consider z1  4  4i
4
tan  
4
 
 arg z1 
4 4  
Consider z2  3 3i
3
tan 
3


4  
3
arg z2    
4 4
 Argument - examples 1
z1  4 z3  3

arg z1  0 arg z3  




z2  5i z4  4i

 arg z4  
arg z2  2
2


 Argument - examples 2
1. Find the argument of the 2. Find the argument of the
complex number z = 3  i. complex number w =1 3i.

2  1
 1
3 
3
2
 

tan  
1
or sin  
1 
tan  
3
or cos  
1
3 2 1 2
  

arg z  arg w  
6

 3
 Polar and Euler form

Cartesian form: z = x + yi z  z cos  isin  

can be z  z cis
Polar form: z = z cos   isin  

The Euler form of

The modulus of  z  z cis is given as
the complex
number. z  ze i

The argument of the

complex number. We will derive the Euler form of
a complex number in a later
 lessons.
 Cartesian to polar form
Write the complex number Questions - write each of the
z = 3+i 3 in polar form. following in polar form.
Draw a sketch on your Argand 1. z  2  2i  3 
diagram z  2 2cis 
 4 
2 3
3

3 
 
2. z  2  i 2 3
 
 z  4cis 
Make a right angled triangle and 3 
  modulus, and
find the hypotenuse,
the angle, argument. 3. z  1 3i
3  1 

 3  3
sin      2 
2
2
2 3  2   z  2cis 
 3 

 12  2 3  4. z  4  4i
6   
   z  4 2cis 
z  2 3cis    4 
 6 
 Polar to cartesian form
Write the polar complex number Questions - write each of the
   following in cartesian form.
z = 2cis-  in cartesian form.
 6  
Draw a sketch on your Argand
diagram.
1. z = 6cis
3  
z  3 i 3 3

3
  

1 
2. z =10cis 
 4   
z 5 2 i 5 2
2 6
 
Work backward using the angle .  5 
6 3. z = 4cis
 

1 z  2 3  2i
sin    6 
6 2
 opp
sin opp 1,adj  3
hyp

z  3 i
4. z =16cis
2 
 
 3   
z  8  i 8 5