Fundamentals of

Electrical Engineering
Complex Numbers

Definitions
Complex Arithmetic
Cartesian and Polar Forms

Complex Numbers
Definition: A complex number z consists of an
ordered pair of real (ordinary) numbers (a, b) that
obeys particular algebraic rules
c z = c (a, b) = (c a, c b), c a scalar

z1 + z2 = (a1 , b1 ) + (a2 , b2 ) = (a1 + a2 , b1 + b2 )

z1 z2 = (a1 a2

b1 b2 , a1 b2 + a2 b1 )

1
=
z

b
a2 + b2

a
,
a2 + b2

Geometry of Complex Numbers

Im[z]
b

(a, b)

Re[z]
a
a = Re[z] b = Im[z]

The algebraic rules can be encapsulated by

representing complex numbers by
z = a + jb, j =

and using the usual rules

c z = c (a + jb) = c a + jc b

z1 + z2 = (a1 + jb1 ) + (a2 + jb2 ) = (a1 + a2 ) + j(b1 + b2 )

z1 z2 = (a1 + jb1 ) (a2 + jb2 )

= (a1 a2 b1 b2 ) + j(a1 b2 + a2 b1 )
1
a
= 2
z
a + b2

b
j 2
a + b2

Eulers Formula
(cx)
(cx)
(cx)
e = 1 + cx +
+
+
+ ...
2!
3!
4!
Let c = j
2
3
4
(jx)
(jx)
(jx)
jx
e = 1 + jx +
+
+
+ ...
2!
3!
4!
4
3
2
x
x
x
=1
+
+ + j x
...
2!
4!
3!
2

cx

= cos x + j sin x
j

So re

= r cos + jr sin

Polar form!!!

More Geometry
Im[z]
b

(a, b)

a = r cos

Re[z]
a
b = r sin

a + jb = r cos + jr sin = re
1 b
2
2
r = a +b
= tan
a

z = a + jb

Cartesian form

z = re

Polar form

Back to those weird rules

z1 z2 = r 1 e

r2 e

= r1 r2 e
= r1 r2 cos( 1 + 2 ) + jr1 r2 sin( 1 + 2 )
= (r1 cos 1 r2 cos 2 r1 sin 1 r2 sin 2 )
+ j (r1 cos 1 r2 sin 2 + r1 sin 1 r2 cos
= (a1 a2 b1 b2 ) + j(a1 b2 + a2 b1 )
j(

1
1
= j =
z
re
cos
=
r
a
= 2
a + b2

1+ 2)

1 j
e
r
sin
j
r
b
j 2
a + b2

2)

A Special Operation
The complex conjugate of z, denoted by z*, flips the sign of
the imaginary part
z =a

So

z z = re

re

jb = re
=r

Magnitude of a complex number:

|z| = z z
2

or |z| = r

z+z
The real part of z, denoted by Re[z], equals
2
z
The imaginary part of z, denoted by Im[z], equals

z
2j

Manipulating Complex Numbers

Add/subtract in Cartesian form
Multiply/divide in either form (depends on details)
between forms before/after operation as
Convert
needed
1+j
(1 + j)(1
=
1 + 2j
5

2j)

j
5

Note the multiplication of the numerator and denominator

by the conjugate of the denominator.
1+j
|1 + j|
=
=
1 + 2j
|1 + 2j|

2
=
5

2
5

Complex Numbers
Simplifies calculations
Very important for signal and system theory