Q.Express the following in the form a+ib: (31+3i)3
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Complex Number Arithmetic
Complex Number Arithmetic: A First Look
Imagine you're trying to solve x2+1=0. You know that no real number squared gives −1. The square of any real number is either zero or positive. So this equation has no real solution. But what if we invent a number whose square is −1? That's exactly what mathematicians did — and that invention is the imaginary unit i, defined by:
i2=−1
A complex number is any number of the form a+bi, where a and b are real numbers. Here a is called the real part, and b is called the imaginary part. For example, 3+4i has real part 3 and imaginary part 4.
The name "imaginary" is unfortunate — these numbers are just as real (in the mathematical sense) as the numbers you already know. They're simply a different kind of number.
Why Bother?
Complex numbers let you solve equations that real numbers can't. Every polynomial equation — no matter how complicated — has a solution in the complex numbers. This is the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, and it's one of the most important results in mathematics.
Arithmetic Operations
The rules are straightforward: treat i like a variable, but remember that i2=−1.
Addition and Subtraction
Add (or subtract) real parts with real parts, imaginary parts with imaginary parts.
(a+bi)+(c+di)=(a+c)+(b+d)i
(a+bi)−(c+di)=(a−c)+(b−d)i
Example: (2+3i)+(4−5i)=(2+4)+(3−5)i=6−2i
Multiplication
Multiply like binomials, then replace i2 with −1.
(a+bi)(c+di)=ac+adi+bci+bdi2=(ac−bd)+(ad+bc)i
Example: (2+3i)(4−5i)=2(4)+2(−5i)+3i(4)+3i(−5i)
=8−10i+12i−15i2
=8+2i−15(−1)
=8+2i+15=23+2i
The most common mistake: forgetting that i2=−1, not 1. Always check your final step.
Division
Division is trickier. The key idea: multiply numerator and denominator by the complex conjugate of the denominator.
The complex conjugate of a+bi is a−bi. When you multiply a complex number by its conjugate, you get a real number:
(a+bi)(a−bi)=a2−(bi)2=a2−b2i2=a2+b2
So to divide:
c+dia+bi=(c+di)(c−di)(a+bi)(c−di)=c2+d2(a+bi)(c−di)
Example: 4−5i2+3i=(4−5i)(4+5i)(2+3i)(4+5i)=16+258+10i+12i+15i2=418+22i−15=41−7+22i=−417+4122i
To divide quickly: multiply top and bottom by the conjugate of the denominator, then simplify. The denominator always becomes c2+d2, a positive real number.
The Big Picture …
Concept: Complex Number Arithmetic — expand the cube using the binomial theorem, then simplify using i2=−1.
First, apply (x+y)3=x3+3x2y+3xy2+y3 with x=31 and y=3i:
(31)3+3(31)2(3i)+3(31)(3i)2+(3i)3
Compute each term:
- (31)3=271
- 3⋅91⋅3i=3⋅91⋅3i=i
- 3⋅31⋅9i2=1⋅9(−1)=−9 …
Expand (a+b)3 with a=31, b=3i, and simplify using i2=−1, i3=−i. The result is −27242−26i.
Binomial expansion.
(31+3i)3=(31)3+3(31)2(3i)+3(31)(3i)2+(3i)3.
Simplify each term.
- (31)3=271
- 3⋅91⋅3i=i
- 3⋅31⋅9i2=9i2=−9
- (3i)3=27i3=−27i
Collect real and imaginary parts. …
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Multiplicative inverse of complex number 5+3i is(a) 145−143i(b) 145+143i(c) 143−145i(d) 143+145i
›Reveal solutionSolution
The multiplicative inverse of √5+3i is (√5−3i)/14.
For a complex number z = a+bi, its multiplicative inverse is z1=∣z∣2zˉ=a2+b2a−bi.
Here a=√5, b=3, so a2+b2=5+9=14.
…
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Express i−35 in the form of a+ib.
›Reveal solutionSolution
i−35=i, i.e., in the form a+ib this is 0+1i.
Powers of i cycle with period 4: i1=i,i2=−1,i3=−i,i4=1, and this pattern repeats.
i−35=i351. Since 35=4×8+3, i35=i3=−i.
…
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If z is a non zero complex number then its multiplicative inverse z1 is equal to(a) ∣z∣2zˉ(b) ∣z∣zˉ(c) ∣zˉ∣z(d) ∣zˉ∣2z
›Reveal solutionSolution
The multiplicative inverse of a nonzero complex number z is ∣z∣2zˉ.
…
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2024Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.1+i+i2+i3+i4 is equal to(a) i(b) 0(c) −i(d) 1
›Reveal solutionSolution
1+i+i2+i3+i4=1.
…
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2024Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Express (31+3i)3 in the form a+ib.
›Reveal solutionSolution
(31+3i)3=−27242−26i.
Use (a+bi)3=(a3−3ab2)+i(3a2b−b3) with a=31, b=3.
Real part: a3−3ab2=(31)3−3⋅31⋅32=271−9=271−27243=−27242.
…
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2023Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The value of i+−i is(a) 0(b) 1(c) 2(d) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Writing i and −i in polar form and taking their principal square roots, the imaginary parts cancel on addition, leaving 2.
Write i in polar (trigonometric) form: i=cos2π+isin2π.
Step 1: Square root of i.
By De Moivre's theorem, the principal square root is
i=cos4π+isin4π=22+i22
Step 2: Square root of −i.
Write −i=cos(−2π)+isin(−2π), so its principal square root is …
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2022Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Express (i9+i19) in the form a+ib.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Reducing exponents mod 4 gives i9=i and i19=−i, which cancel to give 0.
Since i4=1, powers of i repeat every 4 steps. Reduce each exponent modulo 4:
i9=i4×2+1=(i4)2⋅i=1⋅i=i
…
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2021Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The value of i+−i where i=−1(a) 0(b) 1(c) 2(d) 2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Using the principal square roots of i and −i in polar form, the sum simplifies to 2.
i has modulus 1 and argument 2π, so its principal square root is
i=cos4π+isin4π=21(1+i).
−i has modulus 1 and argument −2π, so its principal square root is …
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2021Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find the multiplicative inverse of 3−4i.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rationalising 3−4i1 using the conjugate 3+4i gives 253+254i.
The multiplicative inverse of 3−4i is 3−4i1. Multiply numerator and denominator by the conjugate 3+4i:
3−4i1×3+4i3+4i=32+423+4i=9+163+4i=253+4i. …
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2021Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Find the modulus of 1−i1.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Since ∣1−i∣=2, the modulus of its reciprocal is 21=22.
For any nonzero complex numbers, z2z1=∣z2∣∣z1∣.
Here z1=1 (modulus 1) and z2=1−i, whose modulus is
∣1−i∣=12+(−1)2=2.
So …
- Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur (Higher Secondary 1st Year) 2020Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the multiplicative inverse of 5+3i.
›Reveal solutionSolution
Multiply and divide by the conjugate to get the multiplicative inverse 145−3i.
For a complex number z=a+ib, its multiplicative inverse is
z−1=z1=∣z∣2zˉ=a2+b2a−ib
Here z=5+3i, so a=5, b=3.
…
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