EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-1

Appendix A: Review of Complex Numbers

Complex Numbers in Rectangular Form
A complex number Z may be expressed in the form of
Z= x + jy ,

(A.1)

where x and y are real numbers and j is the imaginary unit, which satisfies the equation j 2 = 1 .
Complex numbers expressed in the form of (A.1) are said to be in rectangular form, where x is the
real part and y is the imaginary part of Z .
We can represent complex numbers by points in the complex plane, in
which the real-part (Re) is the horizontal coordinate and the imaginarypart (Im) is the vertical coordinate. We often show a complex number by
an arrow directed from the origin of the complex plane to the point
defined by its real and imaginary components, as illustrated on the right.

Im
y

The conjugate Z of a complex number Z= x + jy in rectangular form is

obtained by changing the sign of the imaginary part, i.e., Z = x jy .

Prepared by C.S.Ng

Re

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

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Arithmetic operations on complex numbers that are in rectangular form are done much the same way as
x1 + jy1 and
we do algebraic expressions, making the substitutions j 2 = 1 and 1 = j . Suppose Z=
1
j
Z=
x2 + jy2 . Then,
2
Addition : Z1 + Z 2 = x1 + jy1 + x2 + jy2 = ( x1 + x2 ) + j ( y1 + y2 )
Subtraction : Z1 Z 2 = x1 + jy1 x2 jy2 = ( x1 x2 ) + j ( y1 y2 )
Multiplication : Z1Z 2 =( x1 + jy1 )( x2 + jy2 ) =( x1x2 y1 y2 ) + j ( x1 y2 + x2 y1 )

Z1 Z1Z 2
Division := =
Z 2 Z 2 Z 2

jy2 )
( x1 + jy1 )( x2 =
( x2 + jy2 )( x2 jy2 )

x1x2 + y1 y2
x2 y1 x1 y2
+
j
x22 + y22
x22 + y22

Multiply the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of

the denominator so as to make the denominator a real number

Exercise A.1
Given that Z1= 2 j 3 and Z 2 = 8 + j 6 , reduce each of Z1 + Z 2 , Z1 Z 2 , Z1Z 2 , and Z1 Z 2 to
rectangular form.

( Answers :
Prepared by C.S.Ng

Z1 + Z 2 =10 + j 3, Z1 Z 2 =6 j 9, Z1Z 2 =34 j12, Z1 Z 2 =0.02 j 0.36 )

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-3

Complex Numbers in Polar Form

A complex number may also be expressed in the form of
Z = r

(A.2)

where r and are real numbers.

Complex numbers expressed in the form of (A.2) are said to be in polar form, where r = Z is the
magnitude (or modulus) of Z , and = arg [ Z ] is the phase (or argument) of Z .
The interpretation of r and in relation to the real and imaginary parts of Z is illustrated below.
=
r Z=
x2 + y 2
Conversion from rectangular to polar form:
=
=
[ Z ] tan 1 ( y x )
arg
x = r cos ( )
Conversion from polar to rectangular form:
y = r sin ( )

Im
y

Re

The conjugate Z of a complex number Z = r in polar form is obtained by changing the sign of the
phase, i.e., Z = r .

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EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-4

Complex Numbers in Exponential Form

The connection between complex numbers and sinusoids is through Eulers identities, which state that
j
j
e
e
+
(A.3a)
cos ( ) =
2
j
j
e
e

.
sin ( ) =
j2

(A.3b)

Rearranging (A.3), we obtain an alternate form of the identities:

=
e j cos ( ) + j sin ( )

(A.4a)

=
e j cos ( ) j sin ( ) .

(A.4b)

Based on (A.4a), e j is a complex number having a magnitude of

cos 2 ( ) + j sin 2 ( ) =
1, and a phase

sin ( )
of tan 1
= . Thus, we may write e j in polar as e j = 1 , and a complex number Z can, in

cos ( )
general, be expressed as
(A.5)
Z = r = re j .

Complex numbers expressed in the form of (A.5) are said to be in exponential form, where r = Z is
the magnitude (or modulus) of Z , and = arg [ Z ] is the phase (or argument) of Z .
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EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-5

Addition and subtraction of complex numbers that are in polar or exponential form are done by first
converting them to rectangular form, then perform the arithmetic operations as shown earlier, and
finally converting the results back to polar form.
Multiplication and division are straightforward with exponential and polar forms, as illustrated below
using two complex numbers Z1= r1e j1= r1 1 and Z 2= r2e j2= r2 2 .
j (1+2 )
r e j1 r e j2 =
r
r
e
2
12
1
Multiplication : Z1Z 2 =
or
r1 1 r2 2 = r1r2 1 + 2

r1e j1 r1 j(12 )
= e

j2
r2
re
Z1 2
Division :
or
=
Z 2 r
1 1 r1
r = r 1 2
2
2 2
Of the three forms of complex number representations discussed above, it can be seen that less effort is
required to add and subtract complex numbers in rectangular form, while less effort is required to multiply
and divide complex numbers in polar or exponential form.

Prepared by C.S.Ng

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-6

Computing Phase Angle using ArcTangent

The phase of a complex number Z= x + jy is given
by = tan 1 ( y x ) . Suppose we compute using a
calculator whose tan ( ) function returns angles
only in the range of principal values [ 90,90] . If
the returned angle is , then the actual phase in
the range of [ 180,180] is obtained as follows:

y
90

=
ff
ff
= + 180

ff
= 180

if x > 0
if x < 0 and y > 0

1st Quadrant
x>0 y>0
Principal

0 Values
x

180
x<0 y<0
3rd Quadrant

x>0 y<0
4th Quadrant

if x < 0 and y < 0

90

Special cases include:

=
f 0
f=
90
f=
180

if x >=
0 and y 0
if x =
0 and y > 0
if x < 0 and y =
0

f=
90
if x =
0 and y < 0
=
f indeterminate
=
if x 0=
and y 0

Prepared by C.S.Ng

2nd Quadrant
x < 0, y > 0

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-7

Example A.1 (Polar-to-Rectangular Conversion)

Convert Z =530 to rectangular form.
Solution:
Z = r = x + jy
Given : r= 5, = 30
x r cos
=
=
( ) 5cos=
( 30 ) 4.33
Z = 530 = 4.33 + j 2.5
y r sin
30 ) 2.5
=
=
( ) 5sin (=

Example A.2 (Rectangular-to-Polar Conversion)

10 + j 5 to polar form and sketch them in the complex plane.
Convert Z=
1 10 + j 5 and Z 2 =
Solution:
Z1 =x + jy =
r
Given=
: x 10,
=
y 5
r = x 2 + y 2 = 125 = 11.18
=
tan 1 ( y=
0.5 ) 26.57
x ) tan 1 (=
26.57 x > 0
=
=
Z1 =10 + j 5 =11.1826.57
Prepared by C.S.Ng

Z 2 =x + jy =
r
Given : x =
5
10, y =
r = x 2 + y 2 = 125 = 11.18
tan 1 ( y x ) =
tan 1 ( 0.5 ) =
=
26.57

= + 180= 153.43 x < 0, y > 0

11.18153.43
Z2 =
10 + j 5 =

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-8

Im
Z2

Z1

5
11.18

153.43

11.18
26.57

10

10

Re

Example A.3 (Exponential form)

Convert the complex number Z = 1060 to exponential form, then to rectangular form. Sketch the
number in the complex plane.
Solution:
Z = 1060= 10e j 60 exponential form
= 10 cos ( 60 ) + j sin ( 60 )
=
5 + j8.66 rectangular form

Im
8.66
10
60
5

Prepared by C.S.Ng

Re

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-9

Example A.4

(1 j ) e j135 in rectangular and polar forms.

Write Z=

Solution:
Converting to rectangular form:

(1 i ) e i135

Z=

using Euler's icensisies

(1 ii
) cos (135 ) + sin (135 )
=(1 ii
) [ 0.7071 + 0.7071]

=
0.7071 + ii
0.7071 + 0.7071 + 0.7071
= i1.4142

Converting to polar form:

Im
0

1
45

The figure on the right shows that

1 j =
1.4142e j 45

Re

1.4142

Substituting this into Z results in

=
Z 1.4142e j 45 e j135
= 1.4142e j 90
= 1.414290
Prepared by C.S.Ng

-1
Plot of 1 j showing
=
1 j 1.4142 45

EG1108 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Part 1 (Appendix A)

PAGE A-10

Exercise A.2
Express each of 1, j , -1, and 1 j in exponential and polar form.
Answers : 1 = e j 0 = 10,
1 = e j180 = 1 180

j 90
j 90

= 190, 1 j = e
= 1 90
j= e

Exercise A.3
Given Z1 = 1030 and Z 2 = 20135 . Find Z1Z 2 , Z1 Z 2 , Z1 Z 2 , and Z1 + Z 2 in polar form.
200165,
Z1 Z=
24.6 21.8
Answers : Z1Z=
2
2

Z1 Z=
0.5 105, Z1 + Z=
2
2 19.9106

Prepared by C.S.Ng