Does anyone have a cheat sheet for proving shapes in complex numbers? Whenever I'm given a question like "prove these complex points form a parallelogram" I never know how to prove it and the answer's always smthn random like "the diagonals bisect each other". So is there a method of knowing the proof for each shape?
There is always a purely algebraic method, which is usually awful. There are sometimes purely geometric methods (like for arg(
z -
i) = arg(
z + 1) etc.). If there isn't an obvious purely geometric approach, the efficient answer is likely to involve:
- treating the complex numbers as vectors
- looking for geometric properties that proves the required result
- demonstrating these properties through algebraic representation of vectors
For example... the complex number
z represents a point
A in the first quadrant. If
O is the origin,
B lies in the second quadrant, and
OACB is a square, find the complex number representing point
C. Under what conditions is C located in the second quadrant.
A diagram should make it obvious that side OB is adjacent to side OA in the square.
Properties of a square then dictate that
OB =
i.
OA, and so the complex number
iz represents
B.
Then, using vector reasoning:
![](https://latex.codecogs.com/png.latex?\bg_white \begin{align*} \overrightarrow{OC} &= \overrightarrow{OA} + \overrightarrow{AC} \\ &= \overrightarrow{OA} + \overrightarrow{AB} \qquad \text{as $\overrightarrow{AC} = \overrightarrow{OB}$ as opposite sides of a square} \\ &= z + iz \\ &= z(1 + i) \end{align*})
Hence, the point C is represented by
z(1 +
i), and so is in the second quadrant if
![](https://latex.codecogs.com/png.latex?\bg_white \frac{\pi}{4} < \arg{z} < \frac{\pi}{2})
from the diagram (as
A must be in quadrant 1 and, for
C to be in quadrant 2 given angle
COA is 45 degrees,
OA must be inclined at at least 45 degrees above the real axis), or (algebraically), by solving:
![](https://latex.codecogs.com/png.latex?\bg_white \begin{align*} \frac{\pi}{2} &< \arg{[z(1 + i)]} < \pi \\ \frac{\pi}{2} &< \arg{z} + \arg{(1 + i)} < \pi \\ \frac{\pi}{2} &< \arg{z} + \frac{\pi}{4} < \pi \\ \frac{\pi}{4} &< \arg{z} < \frac{3\pi}{4} \qquad \qquad \text{. . . (1)} \\ \\ \text{But, as $A$ lies in quadrant 1:} \qquad 0 &< \arg{z} < \frac{\pi}{2} \qquad \qquad \text{. . . (2)} \\ \\ \text{Thus, to satisfy both (1) and (2):} \qquad \frac{\pi}{4} &< \arg{z} < \frac{\pi}{2} \end{align*})