NDA Maths · Teaching notes

Complex Numbers — NDA Mathematics

Complex Numbers is around 72 past-year NDA questions built on one idea: i² = −1 turns every quadratic into something solvable and puts numbers on a plane. Work the three notes in order — first the fundamentals, conjugate, modulus and argument (the Argand-plane geometry); then powers of i and De Moivre's theorem for roots; and finally the cube roots of unity, whose identities (ω³ = 1 and 1 + ω + ω² = 0) answer a large, predictable family of questions. The recurring trap is the principal argument's quadrant — always place the number on the plane before reading off its angle.

Subtopic notes

PYQ weightage by concept

8 concepts · 72 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first

Modulus, Argument & Conjugate39 PYQs · 54%
ConceptPYQsShare
Modulus and the triangle inequality1825%
Conjugate; purely real / purely imaginary1014%
Argument and polar form913%
What a complex number is23%
Powers of i, De Moivre & Roots15 PYQs · 21%
ConceptPYQsShare
Powers of i (the period-4 cycle)1014%
De Moivre's theorem and roots57%
Cube Roots of Unity18 PYQs · 25%
ConceptPYQsShare
Applying ω: powers, expressions, related roots1521%
1, ω, ω² and their identities34%

Formula & revision sheet

7 formulas · 6 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet

Modulus, Argument & Conjugate

Formulas (4)

  • What a complex number is · Fundamentals of a complex number
    i2=1a+ib=c+id    a=c, b=d(a+ib)(c+id)=(acbd)+i(ad+bc)i^2=-1 \qquad a+ib=c+id \iff a=c,\ b=d \qquad (a+ib)(c+id)=(ac-bd)+i(ad+bc)
  • Conjugate; purely real / purely imaginary · Conjugate identities
    a+ib=aibzzˉ=z2Re(z)=z+zˉ2Im(z)=zzˉ2iz1z2=zˉ1zˉ2\overline{a+ib}=a-ib \qquad z\bar z=|z|^2 \qquad \operatorname{Re}(z)=\dfrac{z+\bar z}{2} \qquad \operatorname{Im}(z)=\dfrac{z-\bar z}{2i} \qquad \overline{z_1z_2}=\bar z_1\,\bar z_2
  • Modulus and the triangle inequality · Modulus properties
    z=a2+b2z1z2=z1z2z1z2=z1z2z2=zzˉz1+z2z1+z2|z|=\sqrt{a^2+b^2} \qquad |z_1z_2|=|z_1|\,|z_2| \qquad \left|\dfrac{z_1}{z_2}\right|=\dfrac{|z_1|}{|z_2|} \qquad |z|^2=z\bar z \qquad |z_1+z_2|\le|z_1|+|z_2|
  • Argument and polar form · Polar form and argument
    z=r(cosθ+isinθ)=reiθarg(z1z2)=argz1+argz2arg ⁣(z1z2)=argz1argz2z=r(\cos\theta+i\sin\theta)=re^{i\theta} \qquad \arg(z_1z_2)=\arg z_1+\arg z_2 \qquad \arg\!\left(\dfrac{z_1}{z_2}\right)=\arg z_1-\arg z_2

Watch out for (4)

Powers of i, De Moivre & Roots

Formulas (2)

  • Powers of i (the period-4 cycle) · Powers of i
    i2=1i3=ii4=1i4k+r=irik+ik+1+ik+2+ik+3=0i^2=-1 \qquad i^3=-i \qquad i^4=1 \qquad i^{4k+r}=i^r \qquad i^k+i^{k+1}+i^{k+2}+i^{k+3}=0
  • De Moivre's theorem and roots · De Moivre's theorem and nth roots
    (cosθ+isinθ)n=cosnθ+isinnθzn=rneinθz1/n=r1/nei(θ+2kπ)/n, k=0,,n1(\cos\theta+i\sin\theta)^n=\cos n\theta+i\sin n\theta \qquad z^n=r^n e^{in\theta} \qquad z^{1/n}=r^{1/n}e^{i(\theta+2k\pi)/n},\ k=0,\ldots,n-1

Watch out for (1)

Cube Roots of Unity

Formulas (1)

Watch out for (1)