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Miscellaneous Examples · Example 8

Q.If x+iy=a+iba−ibx + iy = \dfrac{a + ib}{a - ib}, prove that x2+y2=1x^{2} + y^{2} = 1.

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The key idea is that the modulus of a quotient equals the quotient of the moduli. Since the numerator and denominator are complex conjugates, their moduli are equal, so the modulus of the fraction is 1 — and x2+y2x^2 + y^2 is exactly the square of that modulus.


When you see a complex number written as a fraction, especially one where the denominator is the conjugate of the numerator, your first instinct should be: modulus. The modulus of a complex number z=x+iyz = x + iy is ∣z∣=x2+y2|z| = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2}, so x2+y2=∣z∣2x^2 + y^2 = |z|^2. If we can show ∣z∣=1|z| = 1, we're done.

Now, the fraction is a+iba−ib\dfrac{a + ib}{a - ib}. Notice that a−iba - ib is the complex conjugate of a+iba + ib (assuming a,ba, b are real). For any complex number ww, we have ∣w∣=∣w‾∣|w| = |\overline{w}|. So the numerator and denominator have the same modulus.

There's a beautiful property: for any two complex numbers z1z_1 and z2z_2 (with z2≠0z_2 \neq 0),

∣z1z2∣=∣z1∣∣z2∣.\left| \frac{z_1}{z_2} \right| = \frac{|z_1|}{|z_2|}.

This is the modulus of a quotient rule — it's a direct consequence of ∣z1z2∣=∣z1∣∣z2∣|z_1 z_2| = |z_1||z_2| and ∣1/z2∣=1/∣z2∣|1/z_2| = 1/|z_2|.

Let's apply it.

  1. Let z1=a+ibz_1 = a + ib and z2=a−ibz_2 = a - ib. Then ∣z1∣=a2+b2|z_1| = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2} and ∣z2∣=a2+b2|z_2| = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2} as well, since ∣a−ib∣=a2+(−b)2=a2+b2|a - ib| = \sqrt{a^2 + (-b)^2} = \sqrt{a^2 + b^2}.

  2. So

∣a+iba−ib∣=∣a+ib∣∣a−ib∣=a2+b2a2+b2=1.\left| \frac{a + ib}{a - ib} \right| = \frac{|a + ib|}{|a - ib|} = \frac{\sqrt{a^2 + b^2}}{\sqrt{a^2 + b^2}} = 1.

  1. But the given expression is x+iy=a+iba−ibx + iy = \dfrac{a + ib}{a - ib}. Therefore ∣x+iy∣=1|x + iy| = 1. …

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