Name:

_______________________________________

Complex Numbers Quiz Answer Key
Please show all work and clearly indicate your final answer for each question.

Part I: Definitions (10 total points)

1. Circle each of the values in the list below that represents an imaginary
number:

Imaginary
numbers take
the form
+ ,

! + 2

2.75

12

5 13

Make sure to
simplify the last
two examples
to confirm if
they are real or
imaginary!

2. Now circle each of the values in the list below that represents a
complex number:

Complex
numbers take
the form +
and include
both real and
imaginary
numbers

+ +

The complex
number system
includes both
real and
imaginary
numbers: all of
these numbers
are complex!

Part II: Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication on Complex Numbers

(5 points each)
Write each of the following expressions as a complex number in standard form.

3.

5 2 2 3 + = 5 2 6 2 =

4. 2 1 4 1 + = 2 8 ! 1 + = 8 + 2 1 + =
8 + 2 + 8 + 2 ! = 8 + 10 2 = +

5.

3 + 7 1 2 = 3 + 6 + 7 14 ! = 3 + 13 + 14 = +

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6.

2 + 3 4 + 6 = 8 + 12 12 + 18 ! = 8 18 =

Let complex number = + and be its conjugate.

7. ; = + , so =
= + = 2 + 2 = +


Part III: Division of Complex Numbers (5 points each)

8.

!! !
!

!! ! !

= 3 ! =

9.

!!!!
!!

!
!!

!!
!!

!
!!

!! !

!!
!!

= 2, so final answer is

10.

!!!! !!!!
!!!! !!!!

!!!!!!!!!! !

= !! !!!!!!!!! ! =

!!!!!
!

Part IV: Absolute Value and Properties of
Complex Numbers (5 points each)

| + | = !! + !
or
!
| + | = ( + )( )

11. 9 + 12 = 9! + 12! = 225 =

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12. 2 + 3 = 2! + 3! =




13. Find and if

2 + + 3 = 4 + 9

+ = +
if and only if
= a nd =

2 + = 4
3 = 9

Solve the linear set:
2 + = 4
2 + 6 = 18
7 = 14 = ; =

Extra Credit:
1. Show that ! ! = (! )(! ) for all complex numbers ! and ! . (8 pts)
Let ! = + and ! = + . Then
For the left side of the equation:
! ! = ( + )( + ) = ( + + + ! )
Simplify and rearrange the terms into their real and imaginary components to get
+ + = +
For the right side of the equation:
(! ) (! ) = + + = ( )( )
Expand and simplify, then restate in standard form:
= + ! = +
Both sides of the equation are shown to be equal.

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2. How many complex numbers have an absolute value of 5? Justify your
answer. (You may use a diagram to support your reasoning.)
(10 points, must provide justification)

Remember that absolute value is another way of stating the distance
between a number and zero. In the two-dimensional complex plane, how
many complex numbers are exactly 5 units from zero? There is an infinite
quantity of complex numbers with an absolute value of 5.

Here are the four real and pure imaginary examples:
5 5 5 5
But we have seen other imaginary numbers in the complex plane with an
absolute value of 5. For example, here are four weve worked with:
3 + 4 3 4 3 + 4 (3 4)
But theres still more. Remember that

= ! + ! for complex numbers

= + , so any time ! + ! = 25, the absolute value of = 5. Here are a

few more examples:
1 + 2 6

3
91
5 2 5 2

+

2
2
2
2

But of course you dont have to come up with these yourself! Instead, ask
What does a graph of all points equidistant (5 ) from the origin look
like? The answer is familiar:

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