An Introduction to Complex Functions

Solutions
1 Chapter 1.
Problem 1.1. Let z = 4 + 3i and w = 2 5i. Find each of the following in the form x + iy:
(a)
1
z
(b) z w and zw
(c)
z
w
and
(
z
w
)
Solution:
(a)
1
z
=
4
25

3
25
i.
(b) z w = (4 + 3i)(2 + 5i) = 7 + 26i. Hence zw = z w = 7 26i.
(c) Notice that
z
w
=
(
z
w
)
, so we only have to calculate the value of any one of them.
z
w
=
4 + 3i
2 5i

2 + 5i
2 + 5i
=
7
29
+
26
29
i
Thus
(
z
w
)
=
7
29

26
29
i.

Problem 1.2. If the product of two complex numbers is zero, show that at least one of the factors
must be zero.
Solution: If z = a + bi and w = c + di are complex numbers satisfying zw = 0, then obviously
zzw w = 0. Hence
0 = zzw w = (a
2
+ b
2
)(c
2
+ d
2
)
from which it follows that either a
2
+ b
2
= 0 or c
2
+ d
2
= 0. Thus, either a and b equal zero or c
and d equal zero.

Problem 1.3. Let R

4
have its usual addition and scalar multiplication, and let {h, i, j, k} be its
usual basis. That is,
h = {1, 0, 0, 0}, i = {0, 1, 0, 0}, j = {0, 0, 1, 0}, k = {0, 0, 0, 1}.
Dene multiplication on R
4
by stipulating the following conditions:
1
(a) h is the (multiplicative) identity,
(b) i
2
= j
2
= k
2
= h,
(c) jk = kj = i, ki = ik = j, ij = ji = k,
(d) multiplication is distributive over addition,
(e) (x)y = x(y) = (xy) for R and x, y R
4
.
With these axioms it can easily be shown that the associative and distributive laws for multiplication
are satised. Show now that every x R
4
with x = (0, 0, 0, 0) has a multiplicative inverse (with
respect to h). Show also that multiplication is not commutative.
Solution: We can nd a somewhat more friendly representation of the above structure. The idea
is to represent the above axioms as complex matrices. Replace h, i, j and k by
H =
[
1 0
0 1
]
I =
[
i 0
0 i
]
J =
[
0 1
1 0
]
K =
[
0 i
i 0
]
This serves as our basis for R
4
. Scalar multiplication is as always (with real scalars), and so is
addition. In the two matrices with is the is are the usual complex numbers (i.e. i
2
= 1).
The benet with this scheme becomes apparent when you start multiplying. With usual matrix
multiplication we have
(a) H is the (multiplicative) identity,
(b) I
2
= J
2
= K
2
= H,
(c) JK = KJ = I, KI = IK = J, IJ = JI = K.
We thus have that the axioms for this algebra are precisely the same as those given in the question.
Mathematicians will call the two algebras isomorphic (meaning there is a bijection from the one
onto the other that preserves all algebraic structure). Let a, b, c, d R with not all of them zero.
We show that aH+bI +cJ +dK has an inverse which again is a linear combination of {H, I, J, K}.
Observe that
aH + bI + cJ + dK =
[
a + bi c + di
c + di a bi
]
The determinant of this matrix is a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
+ d
2
= 0. So the matrix is invertible. Using any of
the methods for matrix inversion we nd that the inverse is given by
1
a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
+ d
2
[
a bi c di
c di a + bi
]
=
1
a
2
+ b
2
+ c
2
+ d
2
(aH bI cJ dK).