Q.If z=x+iy is a complex number such that Im(iz+12z+1)=0, show that the locus of z is 2x2+2y2+x−2y=0.
Concept understanding — Geometry of Complex Numbers / Argand Plane
A complex number z=x+iy can be plotted as the point (x,y), or equivalently as the position vector from the origin O to that point, in the Argand plane (named for Jean Argand) — the x-axis is the real axis and the y-axis is the imaginary axis. This geometric picture turns algebraic facts about z into statements about points, lines and circles.
Distance and circles. Since ∣z1−z2∣ is the distance between the points z1 and z2, the equation
∣z−z0∣=r(r>0)
is exactly the set of points at distance r from the fixed point z0 — i.e. the complex form of a circle with centre z0 and radius r. Correspondingly:
- ∣z−z0∣<r describes the interior of that circle;
- ∣z−z0∣>r describes the exterior. An equation like ∣αz−β∣=γ (α=0) is first rewritten as ∣z−(β/α)∣=γ/∣α∣ to read off centre β/α and radius γ/∣α∣.
Loci from conditions on z,z. Many geometric conditions translate directly:
- ∣z−a∣=∣z−b∣ (equidistant from two fixed points) is the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining a,b — e.g. ∣z+2∣=∣z−2∣ gives the imaginary axis, since ±2 are symmetric about it.
- Conditions like Re(iz)=k, Im[(a+ib)z+c]=0, or z=z−1 each reduce, after substituting z=x+iy and separating real/imaginary parts, to an ordinary Cartesian equation in x,y — a line, a circle, or (as with z=z−1⟺zz=1⟺x2+y2=1) the unit circle.
- An argument condition, e.g. arg(z+2z−i)=4π, fixes the angle a chord subtends and typically traces an arc of a circle; converting to Cartesian form again proceeds by writing z=x+iy, isolating the real/imaginary parts of the quotient, and using tan(angle).
The working method is always the same: substitute z=x+iy (and z=x−iy), simplify the given expression into the form (real stuff)+i(real stuff), then read off what the condition (equality of moduli, a purely real/imaginary condition, a fixed argument) forces on x and y.
Multiply iz+12z+1 by the conjugate of its denominator, isolate the imaginary part, and set it to zero.
The locus is 2x2+2y2+x−2y=0.
Substitute z=x+iy, rationalize the quotient by multiplying by the conjugate of the denominator, then read off the imaginary part of the numerator (the denominator is always real and positive) and set it to 0.
Step 1. Substitute z=x+iy into numerator and denominator.
2z+1=(2x+1)+i(2y),iz+1=i(x+iy)+1=(1−y)+ix.
Step 2. Multiply numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator, (1−y)−ix.
iz+12z+1=[(1−y)+ix][(1−y)−ix][(2x+1)+i(2y)][(1−y)−ix]=(1−y)2+x2[(2x+1)+i(2y)][(1−y)−ix].
Step 3. Expand the numerator.
(2x+1)(1−y)−i(2x+1)x+i(2y)(1−y)−i2(2y)x
=(2x+1)(1−y)+2xy + i[2y(1−y)−(2x+1)x].
Step 4. Read off the imaginary part. Since the denominator (1−y)2+x2 is real,
Im(iz+12z+1)=(1−y)2+x22y(1−y)−(2x+1)x=(1−y)2+x22y−2y2−2x2−x.
Step 5. Set the imaginary part to 0. The denominator is never 0 on the domain of the expression, so the numerator must vanish:
2y−2y2−2x2−x=0 ⇒ −2x2−2y2−x+2y=0 ⇒ 2x2+2y2+x−2y=0.
Step 6. State the locus. This is exactly 2x2+2y2+x−2y=0, as required.
The locus is 2x2+2y2+x−2y=0.
Rationalize the quotient, then isolate Im(⋅)=0
- Forgetting to multiply by the conjugate of the denominator before separating real/imaginary parts
- Sign slip turning −(2x+1)x into +(2x+1)x, which flips the sign of the x and x2 terms
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If −x−iy lies in the first quadrant, then −ix+y lies in the :(a) third quadrant(b) fourth quadrant(c) first quadrant(d) second quadrant
›Reveal solutionSolution
If −x−iy lies in the first quadrant then −ix+y lies in the second quadrant.
- A complex number lies in the first quadrant when both its real and imaginary parts are positive.
- −x−iy has real part −x and imaginary part −y. First quadrant ⇒−x>0 and −y>0, i.e. x<0 and y<0.
- Now consider −ix+y=y−ix, whose real part is y and imaginary part is −x.
- Since y<0, the real part of y−ix is negative.
- Since x<0, we have −x>0, so the imaginary part of y−ix is positive.
- A complex number with negative real part and positive imaginary part lies in the second quadrant.
✓Final answer−ix+y lies in the second quadrant — option (d).
- CBSE 2019Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If z1=1+2i, z2=1−3i and z3=2+4i then, the points on the Argand diagram representing z1z2z3, 2z1z2z3, −7z1z2z3 are :(a) Vertices of an isosceles triangle(b) Collinear(c) Vertices of a right angled triangle(d) Vertices of an equilateral triangle
›Reveal solutionSolution
The three points are real-number multiples of the same complex number z1z2z3, so they are collinear.
- Compute z1z2=(1+2i)(1−3i)=1−3i+2i−6i2=1−i+6=7−i.
- Compute z1z2z3=(7−i)(2+4i)=14+28i−2i−4i2=14+26i+4=18+26i.
- Let w=z1z2z3=18+26i. The three given points are w, 2w, and −7w.
- Each of these is a real scalar multiple of the same complex number w (multiples 1,2,−7).
- On the Argand plane, all real scalar multiples of a fixed complex number w=0 lie on the single line through the origin passing through the point w.
- Hence the points representing w, 2w, −7w all lie on this one line, i.e. they are collinear.
✓Final answerThe three points are collinear — option (b).
- CBSE 2018Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If ∣z−z1∣=∣z−z2∣ then the locus of z is :(a) a straight line passing through the origin(b) a circle with centre at the origin(c) is a perpendicular bisector of the line joining z1 and z2(d) a circle with centre at z1
›Reveal solutionSolution
The equation states that z is equidistant from the fixed points z1 and z2, which is exactly the geometric definition of the perpendicular bisector of the segment z1z2.
- Interpret ∣z−z1∣ as the distance from the point z to the fixed point z1, and ∣z−z2∣ as the distance from z to the fixed point z2.
- The equation ∣z−z1∣=∣z−z2∣ says these two distances are always equal.
- The locus of points equidistant from two fixed points z1,z2 is, by the standard geometric definition, the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining them.
- It is a straight line, but not through the origin in general (rules out (a)), and it is not a circle (rules out (b), (d)) unless z1=z2 trivially.
✓Final answerThe locus of z is the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining z1 and z2 — option (c).
- CBSE 2018Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If the point represented by the complex number iz is rotated about the origin through an angle 2π in the counter clockwise direction then the complex number representing the new position is :(a) −z(b) iz(c) z(d) −iz
›Reveal solutionSolution
Rotating the point iz counter-clockwise through π/2 (multiplying by i) gives i(iz)=−z.
- Rotating a complex number w counter-clockwise about the origin through an angle θ corresponds to multiplying it by eiθ.
- Here θ=2π, so eiπ/2=cos2π+isin2π=i.
- The starting point is w=iz.
- After rotation, the new point is i⋅w=i⋅(iz)=i2z.
- Since i2=−1, this equals −z.
✓Final answerThe new position is −z — option (a).
- CBSE 2017Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If P represents the variable complex number z and if ∣2z−1∣=2∣z∣ then the locus of P is :(a) the straight line x=41(b) the straight line y=41(c) the straight line z=21(d) the circle x2+y2−4x−1=0
›Reveal solutionSolution
Substitute z=x+iy, square both sides of ∣2z−1∣=2∣z∣, and simplify — the y2 terms cancel, leaving a vertical line x=1/4.
- Let z=x+iy, so 2z−1=(2x−1)+2iy.
- ∣2z−1∣=2∣z∣ means (2x−1)2+(2y)2=2x2+y2.
- Square both sides: (2x−1)2+4y2=4(x2+y2)=4x2+4y2.
- Expand the left side: 4x2−4x+1+4y2=4x2+4y2.
- The 4x2 and 4y2 terms cancel from both sides: −4x+1=0.
- Solve: x=41.
- This is a vertical straight line, matching option (a).
✓Final answerThe locus of P is the straight line x=41.
- CBSE 2016Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If −zˉ lies in the third quadrant then z lies in the :(a) first quadrant(b) second quadrant(c) third quadrant(d) fourth quadrant
›Reveal solutionSolution
If −zˉ lies in the third quadrant, then z lies in the fourth quadrant.
- Let z=x+iy. Then zˉ=x−iy and −zˉ=−x+iy.
- −zˉ lying in the third quadrant means both its real and imaginary parts are negative: −x<0 and y<0.
- −x<0⇒x>0; and y<0.
- So z=x+iy has x>0, y<0, which is exactly the fourth quadrant.
- Options (a), (b), (c) correspond to other sign combinations that do not match x>0,y<0.
✓Final answerz lies in the fourth quadrant, option (d).
- CBSE 2016Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The points z1,z2,z3,z4 in the complex plane are the vertices of a parallelogram taken in order if and only if :(a) z1+z4=z2+z3(b) z1+z3=z2+z4(c) z1+z2=z3+z4(d) z1−z2=z3−z4
›Reveal solutionSolution
The parallelogram condition is exactly the diagonals-bisect-each-other condition on the two diagonal vertex pairs.
- For vertices z1,z2,z3,z4 taken in order, the sides are z1z2, z2z3, z3z4, z4z1, and the diagonals are z1z3 and z2z4.
- A quadrilateral is a parallelogram if and only if its diagonals bisect each other (a standard geometric characterisation, equally valid in the complex plane, where midpoints are just averages).
- Midpoint of diagonal z1z3 is 2z1+z3; midpoint of diagonal z2z4 is 2z2+z4.
- Setting these equal (bisection): 2z1+z3=2z2+z4 ⟹ z1+z3=z2+z4.
- Checking the distractors: (a) z1+z4=z2+z3 and (c) z1+z2=z3+z4 pair up adjacent (side) vertices, not the diagonal pairs, so they don't correspond to the diagonal-bisection condition; (d) is merely a side-equality/parallel-sides condition on one pair, not the full iff condition.
✓Final answerThe vertices form a parallelogram iff z1+z3=z2+z4 (option b).
- CBSE 2016Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.If ∣z−z1∣=∣z−z2∣ then the locus of z is(a) a circle with centre at the origin(b) a circle with centre at z1(c) a straight line passing through the origin(d) is a perpendicular bisector of the line joining z1 and z2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Equidistance from two fixed points is the geometric definition of the perpendicular bisector, so that is the locus.
- Let z=x+iy, z1,z2 be fixed complex numbers (points in the plane).
- ∣z−z1∣ is the distance from the variable point z to the fixed point z1; likewise ∣z−z2∣ is the distance to z2.
- The condition ∣z−z1∣=∣z−z2∣ says the point z is always equidistant from z1 and z2.
- In plane geometry, the set of all points equidistant from two fixed points is, by definition, the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining those two points.
- This is not centred at the origin or at z1 (ruling out (a), (b)), and it need not pass through the origin at all (ruling out (c)) — it is simply the perpendicular bisector of z1z2, which may lie anywhere in the plane.
✓Final answerThe locus of z is the perpendicular bisector of the segment joining z1 and z2 (option d).
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