scora said:
1. find the locus of z, given t is a real variable:
z = (2+it) / (2-it)
z = (2 + it) / (2 - it)
= (2 + it)² / (4 + t²)
= (4 - t² + 4it) / (4 + t²)
Let z = x + iy
x + iy = (4 - t² + 4it) / (4 + t²)
Equating real and imaginary parts:
x = (4 - t²) / (4 + t²)
y = 4t / (4 + t²)
We have a parametric equation with parameter t. To find the Cartesian equation, we must eliminate t.
4x + xt² = 4 - t²
t²(x + 1) = 4 - 4x
t² = 4(1 - x) / (1 + x)
t = ± 2 √[(1 - x) / (1 + x)] (with x =/= -1)
Case 1 (t > 0): Sub positive case into y
y = 8√[(1 - x) / (1 + x)] / [4 + 4(1 - x) / (1 + x))
= 2√[(1 - x) / (1 + x)] / [1 + (1 - x) / (1 + x)]
= 2√[(1 - x) / (1 + x)] / [(1 + x + 1 - x) / (1 + x)]
= 2√[(1 - x) / (1 + x)] / [2 / (1 + x)]
= √[(1 - x) (1 + x)]
= √(1 - x²) (with x =/= -1)
Case 2 (t < 0): Sub negative case into y
y= - 8√ [(1 - x) / (1 + x)] / [4 + 4(1 - x) / (1 + x))
= - √(1 - x²) similarly (with x =/= -1)
Therefore, the locus is y = ±√(1 - x²)
i.e. x² + y² = 1 (excluding the point (-1,0))
Alternatively (I just realised this after all that algebra lol), you could use a geometric interpretation. The division of a complex number and its conjugate leads to division of their moduli and subtraction of their arguments.
So z = (2 + it) / (2 - it) = √(4 + t²) cis θ
1 / √(4 + t²) cis θ
2
= cis (θ
1 - θ
2)
Notice the moduli are equal (both are √(4 + t²)), so when they divide they cancel to 1.
This means the modulus of z is 1.
Also, θ
2 = - θ
1 as the conjugates have equal and opposite arguments
So z = cis (2θ
1)
Now the argument 2θ
1 varies according to t. So for all values of t, you have all possible values for an argument except that 2 + it and 2 - it cannot be purely imaginary i.e. θ
1 =/= π/2 => 2θ
1 =/= π
The result is a unit circle excluding the point (-1, 0) as expected.