GCE A Level Maths 9709
SMIYL
April 2023
3.9 Complex Numbers
In this topic we will learn how to:
• understand and use the fact that two complex numbers are equal if and
only if both real and imaginary parts are equal
• use the result that, for a polynomial equation with real coefficients, any
non-real roots occur in conjugate pairs
Solving Polynomial Equations with Complex Roots
Polynomials that have no real roots have complex roots or imaginary
roots. To solve polynomial equations with complex roots we use the
quadratic equation. There are two other ideas you need to know to
be able to solve polynomial equations:
• Complex numbers are equal if and only if both real and imaginary parts
are equal
• For a polynomial equation with real coefficients, any non-real roots occur
in conjugate pairs
Let’s look at some past paper questions.
1. Solve the quadratic equation (1 − 3i)z 2 − (2 + i)z + i = 0, giving your
answers in the form x + iy, where x and y are real. (9709/33/O/N/22/
number 6)
(1 − 3i)z 2 − (2 + i)z + i = 0
The first step is to substitute into the quadratic formula,
a = (1 − 3i), asf db = −(2 + i), asf dc = i
√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x=
2a
1
p
−(−(2 + i)) ± (−(2 + i))2 − 4(1 − 3i)(i)
z=
2(1 − 3i)
Simplify using the idea that i2 = −1 where necessary,
p
−(−(2 + i)) ± (−(2 + i))2 − 4(1 − 3i)(i)
z=
2(1 − 3i)
p
(2 + i) ± (2 + i)2 − 4(1 − 3i)(i)
z=
2(1 − 3i)
√
(2 + i) ± 4 + i2 + 4i − 4i + 12i2
z=
2 − 6i
p
(2 + i) ± 4 − 1 + 4i − 4i + 12(−1)
z=
2 − 6i
√
(2 + i) ± 3 − 12
z=
2 − 6i
√
(2 + i) ± −9
z=
2 − 6i
√
(2 + i) ± −1 × 9
z=
2 − 6i
√ √
(2 + i) ± −1 × 9
z=
2 − 6i
(2 + i) ± i × 3
z=
2 − 6i
(2 + i) ± 3i
z=
2 − 6i
2 + i + 3i 2 + i − 3i
z= asdf asdf z =
2 − 6i 2 − 6i
2 + 4i 2 − 2i
z= asdf asdf z =
2 − 6i 2 − 6i
Divide the complex numbers to express in the form x + iy,
2 + 4i 2 − 2i
z= asdf asdf z =
2 − 6i 2 − 6i
(2 + 4i)(2 + 6i) (2 − 2i)(2 + 6i)
z= asdf asdf z =
(2 − 6i)(2 + 6i) (2 − 6i)(2 + 6i)
4 + 24i2 + 12i + 8i 4 − 12i2 − 4i + 12i
z= asdf asdf z =
4 − 36i2 4 − 36i2
2
4 + 24(−1) + 20i 4 − 12(−1) + 8i
z= asdf asdf z =
4 − 36(−1) 4 − 36(−1)
−20 + 20i 16 + 8i
z= asdf asdf z =
40 40
−20 20i 16 8i
z= + asdf asdf z = +
40 40 40 40
−1 1 2 1
z= + iasdf asdf z = + i
2 2 5 5
Therefore, the final answers are,
−1 1 2 1
z= + iasdf asdf z = + i
2 2 5 5
2. Find the complex numbers w which satisfy the equation w2 + 2iw∗ = 1
and are such that Rew ≤ 0. Give your answers in the form x + iy, where
x and y are real. (9709/32/F/M/22 number 6)
w2 + 2iw∗ = 1
Usually when you’re solving questions that involve a complex
conjugate pair, we will use the idea that, ’Complex numbers are
equal if and only if both real and imaginary parts are equal’.
Let’s start by substituting w with x + iy,
(x + iy)2 + 2iw∗ = 1
Substitute w∗ with x − iy,
(x + iy)2 + 2i(x − iy) = 1
Expand the parentheses,
x2 + i2 y 2 + 2xyi + 2xi + 2y = 1
Simplify using the idea that i2 = −1,
x2 + (−1)y 2 + 2xyi + 2xi + 2y = 1
x2 − y 2 + 2xyi + 2xi + 2y = 1
Move 2xi and 2y to the right side, so that we can compare the
complex numbers,
x2 − y 2 + 2xyi = 1 − 2y − 2xi
3
Since ’Complex numbers are equal if and only if both real and
imaginary parts are equal’, we can come up with these two equa-
tions,
x2 − y 2 = 1 − 2yasdf asdf 2xy = −2x
Solve the two equations simultaneously,
2xy = −2x
2xy + 2x = 0
2x(y + 1) = 0
2x = 0asdf asadf y + 1 = 0
x = 0asdf asdf y = −1
Let’s solve for y when x = 0,
x2 − y 2 = 1 − 2y
02 − y 2 = 1 − 2y
−y 2 = 1 − 2y
y 2 − 2y + 1 = 0
(y − 1)(y − 1) = 0
y=1
Let’s solve for x when y = −1,
x2 − (−1)2 = 1 − 2(−1)
x2 − 1 = 3
x2 − 4 = 0
(x − 2)(x + 2) = 0
x = ±2
x = −2
Note: We disregard x = 2 because our domain is Rew ≤ 0. This
means the real part of the complex number (x) should be less
than or equal to 0.
4
Therefore, our final answer is,
w = 0 + iasdf asdf w = −2 − i
w = iasdf asf dw = −2 − i
√
3. The complex number −1 + 7i is denoted by u. It is given that u is a
root of the equation
2x3 + 3x2 + 14x + k = 0
where k is a real constant. (9709/32/M/J/22 number 10)
(a) Find the value of k.
2x3 + 3x2 + 14x + k = 0
√
Substitute −1 + 7i into the equation,
√ √ √
2(−1 + 7i)3 + 3(−1 + 7i)2 + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
Expand the cubic using binomial expansion,
√
(−1 + 7i)3
√ √ √
(−1)3 +3 C1 (−1)2 ( 7i) +3 C2 (−1)( 7i)2 +3 C3 ( 7i)3
√ √
−1 + 3(1)( 7i) + 3(−1)(7i2 ) + 1(7 7i3 )
√ √
−1 + 3 7i + −3(7(−1)) + 7 7(i2 × i)
√ √
−1 + 3 7i + 21 + 7 7(−i)
√ √
20 + 3 7i − 7 7i
√
20 − 4 7i
Substitute it back into the equation and simplify,
√ √ √
2(−1 + 7i)3 + 3(−1 + 7i)2 + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
√ √ √
2(20 − 4 7i) + 3(−1 + 7i)2 + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
√ √ √
40 − 8 7i + 3(−1 + 7i)2 + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
Expand the quadratic,
√
(−1 + 7i)2
√
1 + 7i2 − 2 7i
√
1 + 7(−1) − 2 7i
√
1 − 7 − 2 7i
√
−6 − 2 7i
5
Substitute it back into the equation and simplify,
√ √ √
40 − 8 7i + 3(−1 + 7i)2 + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
√ √ √
40 − 8 7i + 3(−6 − 2 7i) + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
√ √ √
40 − 8 7i − 18 − 6 7i + 14(−1 + 7i) + k = 0
√ √ √
40 − 8 7i − 18 − 6 7i − 14 + 14 7i + k = 0
√ √ √
40 − 18 − 14 − 8 7i − 6 7i + 14 7i + k = 0
√ √
8 − 14 7i + 14 7i + k = 0
8+k =0
k = −8
Therefore, the final answer is,
k = −8
(b) Find the other two roots of the equation.
Since this is a polynomial and it has u as a root, we know
that u∗ must be another root. Therefore, one of the roots
is, √
−1 − 7i
To get the third root we will use the two complex roots that
we have. Our function is a cubic function, meaning it can
be broken down into a quadratic factor and a linear factor.
The two complex roots come from the quadratic factor, we
can use them to derive the quadratic like this,
√ √
x = −1 + 7iasdf asdf x = −1 − 7i
√ √
x − (−1 + 7i) = 0asdf asdf x − (−1 − 7i) = 0
√ √
(x − (−1 + 7i))(x − (−1 − 7i)) = 0
√ √ √ √
x2 − x(−1 − 7i) − x(−1 + 7i) + (−1 + 7i)(−1 − 7i) = 0
√ √
x2 + x + 7xi + x − 7xi + 1 − 7i2 = 0
x2 + 2x + 1 − 7(−1) = 0
x2 + 2x + 8 = 0
Note: This process is essentially the reverse of factorization
of a quadratic.
6
Therefore, the quadratic factor of the cubic function is,
x2 + 2x + 8 = 0
Now let’s find the linear factor so we can get the third root
of the cubic function. You can use long division but for this
example, we will use inspection,
(x2 + 2x + 8)(ax + b) = 2x3 + 3x2 + 14x − 8
x2 × ax = 2x3
ax3 = 2x3
a=2
8×b=− 8
8b = −8
b = −1
Therefore, the linear factor is,
ax + b
2x − 1
We can now get our third root from the linear factor,
2x − 1 = 0
2x = 1
1
x=
2
Therefore, the two other roots are,
1 √
x= asdf asf dx = −1 − 7i
2
