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Complex number

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College Algebra

Definition

A complex number is a number that has both a real part and an imaginary part, typically expressed in the form $a + bi$ where $a$ and $b$ are real numbers, and $i$ is the imaginary unit with the property that $i^2 = -1$. Complex numbers extend the concept of one-dimensional real numbers to the two-dimensional complex plane.

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5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. The real part of a complex number $a + bi$ is $a$, and the imaginary part is $b$.
  2. The complex conjugate of a complex number $a + bi$ is $a - bi$.
  3. The modulus (or absolute value) of a complex number $a + bi$ is given by $\sqrt{a^2 + b^2}$.
  4. Complex numbers can be added, subtracted, multiplied, and divided using specific algebraic rules.
  5. The set of all complex numbers forms a field under addition and multiplication, denoted by $\mathbb{C}$.

Review Questions

  • What are the real and imaginary parts of the complex number $7 - 3i$?
  • Calculate the modulus of the complex number $4 + 5i$.
  • Find the product of $(2 + i)$ and $(3 - i)$.
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