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Worked Examples · Example 2

Q.Express the following in the form of a+bia + bi:

(i) 5i(−18i)5i\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}i\right)
(ii) (−i)(2i)(−18i)3(-i)(2i)\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}i\right)^{3}
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✓ Free question

Using i2=−1i^2=-1 and the cycle of powers of ii, part (i) simplifies to 58\dfrac{5}{8} and part (ii) simplifies to 1256i\dfrac{1}{256}i.

We use the fundamental rule i2=−1i^2=-1; every power of ii cycles through i,−1,−i,1i,-1,-i,1. Both expressions here are purely imaginary factors multiplied together, so the work is just multiplying real coefficients and simplifying powers of ii.

Part (i): 5i(−18i)5i\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}i\right)

  1. Multiply the coefficients and the ii terms separately.

5×(−18)×i×i=−58×i25\times\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}\right)\times i\times i = -\dfrac{5}{8}\times i^2

  1. Replace i2i^2 with −1-1.

−58×(−1)=58-\dfrac{5}{8}\times(-1) = \dfrac{5}{8}

  1. Write in a+bia+bi form. The result is purely real: a=58a=\dfrac{5}{8}, b=0b=0, so the expression equals 58+0i\dfrac{5}{8}+0i.
Tip

An even number of ii factors (here, two) can give a real result — that's the pattern behind i×i=i2=−1i\times i=i^2=-1.

Part (ii): (−i)(2i)(−18i)3(-i)(2i)\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}i\right)^{3}

  1. Handle the cube first.

(−18i)3=(−18)3×i3=−1512×i3\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}i\right)^3 = \left(-\dfrac{1}{8}\right)^3\times i^3 = -\dfrac{1}{512}\times i^3

Since i3=i2⋅i=(−1)⋅i=−ii^3=i^2\cdot i=(-1)\cdot i=-i:

−1512×(−i)=1512i-\dfrac{1}{512}\times(-i) = \dfrac{1}{512}i

  1. Multiply all three factors.

(−i)×(2i)×(1512i)(-i)\times(2i)\times\left(\dfrac{1}{512}i\right)

Coefficients: (−1)×2×1512=−1256(-1)\times2\times\dfrac{1}{512} = -\dfrac{1}{256}

ii-terms: i×i×i=i3=−ii\times i\times i = i^3=-i

  1. Combine.

−1256×(−i)=1256i-\dfrac{1}{256}\times(-i) = \dfrac{1}{256}i

Watch out

A common mistake is treating (−18i)3\left(-\dfrac{1}{8}i\right)^3 as if only the ii were cubed. The negative sign and the coefficient must be cubed too: cube the whole term, coefficient and ii together.

  1. Write in a+bia+bi form. The result is purely imaginary: a=0a=0, b=1256b=\dfrac{1}{256}, so the expression equals 0+1256i0+\dfrac{1}{256}i.
✓Final answer

  1. 58\boxed{\dfrac{5}{8}}
  2. 1256i\boxed{\dfrac{1}{256}i}

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