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de Moivre's formula
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In mathematics, de Moivre's formula, named after Abraham de Moivre, states that for any complex number (and, in particular, for any real
number) x and integer n it holds that
The formula is important because it connects complex numbers (i stands for the imaginary unit) and trigonometry. The expression cos x + i
sin x is sometimes abbreviated to cis x.
By expanding the left hand side and then comparing the real and imaginary parts under the assumption that x is real, it is possible to derive
useful expressions for cos (nx) and sin (nx) in terms of cos x and sin x. Furthermore, one can use a generalization of this formula to find
explicit expressions for the nth roots of unity, that is, complex numbers z such that zn = 1.
Contents
1 Derivation
2 Failure for non-integer powers
3 Proof by induction (for integer n)
4 Formulas for cosine and sine individually
5 Generalization
6 Applications
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Derivation
Although historically proven earlier, de Moivre's formula can easily be derived from Euler's formula
The derivation of de Moivre's formula above involves a complex number to the power n. When the power is not an integer, the result is
multiple-valued, for example, when n = ½ then:
Since the angles 0 and 2π are the same this would give two different values for the same expression. The values 1 and −1 are however both
square roots of 1 as the generalization asserts.
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No such problem occurs with Euler's formula since there is no identification of different values of its exponent. Euler's formula involves a
complex power of a positive real number and this always has a preferred value. The corresponding expressions are:
ei0 = 1
eiπ = − 1
For n > 0, we proceed by mathematical induction. S(1) is clearly true. For our hypothesis, we assume S(k) is true for some natural k. That is,
we assume
We deduce that S(k) implies S(k+1). By the principle of mathematical induction it follows that the result is true for all natural numbers.
Now, S(0) is clearly true since cos (0x) + i sin(0x) = 1 +i 0 = 1. Finally, for the negative integer cases, we consider an exponent of -n for
natural n.
The equation (*) is a result of the identity , for z = cos nx + i sin nx. Hence, S(n) holds for all integers n.
These equations are in fact even valid for complex values of x, because both sides are entire (that is, holomorphic on the whole complex
plane) functions of x, and two such functions that coincide on the real axis necessarily coincide everywhere. Here are the concrete
instances of these equations for n = 2 and n = 3:
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The right hand side of the formula for cos(nx) is in fact the value Tn(cos x) of the Chebyshev polynomial Tn at cos x.
Generalization
The formula is actually true in a more general setting than stated above: if z and w are complex numbers, then
Applications
This formula can be used to find the nth roots of a complex number. This application does not strictly use de Moivre's formula as the power
isn't an integer. However considering the right hand side to the power of n will in each case give the same value left hand side.
then
where k is an integer. To get the n different roots of z one only needs to consider values of k from 0 to n − 1.
See also
Root of unity
References
Abramowitz, Milton & Stegun, Irene A. (1964), Handbook of Mathematical Functions, New York: Dover Publications, p. 74,
ISBN 0486612724.
External links
De Moivre's Theorem for Trig Identities (http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/DeMoivresTheoremForTrigIdentities/) by Michael
Croucher, Wolfram Demonstrations Project.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Moivre%27s_formula"
Categories: Complex analysis | Mathematical theorems | Articles containing proofs
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