Chapter 9: Problem 40
Write each quotient in standard form. $$ \frac{21+i}{4+i} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
5 - i
Step by step solution
01
- Identify the problem
To write the quotient \( \frac{21+i}{4+i} \) in standard form.
02
- Multiply by the conjugate of the denominator
To eliminate the imaginary part in the denominator, multiply both the numerator and the denominator by the conjugate of the denominator, \(4-i\): \[\frac{21+i}{4+i} \times \frac{4-i}{4-i} = \frac{(21+i)(4-i)}{(4+i)(4-i)}\]
03
- Perform the multiplication in the numerator
Expand \((21+i)(4-i)\): \[(21)(4) + (21)(-i) + (i)(4) + (i)(-i) = 84 - 21i + 4i - i^2\] Since \(i^2 = -1\), substitute to get: \[(84 - 21i + 4i + 1) = 85 - 17i\]
04
- Perform the multiplication in the denominator
Expand \((4+i)(4-i)\): \[(4)(4) + (4)(-i) + (i)(4) + (i)(-i) = 16 - 4i + 4i - i^2\]. Since \(i^2 = -1\), substitute to get: \(16 + 1 = 17\)
05
- Write the result in standard form
The fraction now is \[\frac{85-17i}{17}\]. Divide each term of the numerator by the denominator: \[\frac{85}{17} - \frac{17i}{17} = 5 - i\]. Therefore, the standard form is \(5 - i\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Conjugate
In complex numbers, the conjugate is a crucial concept. It helps to simplify complex division and other operations. Each complex number has a conjugate. To find the conjugate, you change the sign of the imaginary part.
For example, if you have a complex number like \(4+i\), its conjugate is \(4-i\).
Why is this useful? When you multiply a complex number by its conjugate, you eliminate the imaginary part. This tactic converts a complex number into a real number, making calculations simpler.
In our exercise, to simplify \( \frac{21+i}{4+i} \), we multiply by the conjugate of the denominator: \(4-i\). This helps us eliminate the imaginary unit in the denominator.
For example, if you have a complex number like \(4+i\), its conjugate is \(4-i\).
Why is this useful? When you multiply a complex number by its conjugate, you eliminate the imaginary part. This tactic converts a complex number into a real number, making calculations simpler.
In our exercise, to simplify \( \frac{21+i}{4+i} \), we multiply by the conjugate of the denominator: \(4-i\). This helps us eliminate the imaginary unit in the denominator.
Standard Form
Standard form for complex numbers is written as \(a+bi\), where \(a\) is the real part, and \(b\) is the imaginary part.
In the exercise, our aim is to express the quotient in this format.
Starting from \( \frac{21+i}{4+i} \), we multiply by the conjugate to get:
\( \frac{(21+i)(4-i)}{(4+i)(4-i)} \).
After performing the multiplications and simplifying, we find:
\( \frac{85-17i}{17} = 5 - i \).
Thus, \(5 - i\) is in standard form, with \(5\) as the real part and \(-1\) as the imaginary part.
In the exercise, our aim is to express the quotient in this format.
Starting from \( \frac{21+i}{4+i} \), we multiply by the conjugate to get:
\( \frac{(21+i)(4-i)}{(4+i)(4-i)} \).
After performing the multiplications and simplifying, we find:
\( \frac{85-17i}{17} = 5 - i \).
Thus, \(5 - i\) is in standard form, with \(5\) as the real part and \(-1\) as the imaginary part.
Imaginary Unit
The imaginary unit, represented by \(i\), is the foundation of complex numbers. It is defined as \(i = \sqrt{-1}\). One key property is that \(i^2 = -1\).
This property plays a fundamental role in calculations involving complex numbers.
In our example, when we expanded \( (21+i)(4-i) \) and \( (4+i)(4-i) \), we encountered terms like \( -i^2 \).
Since \(i^2 = -1\), substituting helped us convert these terms into real numbers. This conversion is crucial for simplifying complex expressions and achieving the standard form.
This property plays a fundamental role in calculations involving complex numbers.
In our example, when we expanded \( (21+i)(4-i) \) and \( (4+i)(4-i) \), we encountered terms like \( -i^2 \).
Since \(i^2 = -1\), substituting helped us convert these terms into real numbers. This conversion is crucial for simplifying complex expressions and achieving the standard form.