Education Technology

Complex Number Addition

Subject Area
Math: Precalculus: Applications of Trigonometry
Level
9-12
Activity Time
45 Minutes
Software
TI-Nspire™ CX
TI-Nspire™ CX CAS
TI Calculator
TI-Nspire™ CX series
TI-Nspire™ CX CAS/CX II CAS
TI-Nspire Version
5.0
Resource Types
Lessons
Format
TNS

Complex Number Addition

Activity Overview

This lesson involves the addition of two complex numbers.

Objectives

  • Students will compute the sum of two complex numbers.
  • Students will visualize and geometrically describe the sum of two complex numbers.
  • Students will compute the absolute value and use trigonometry to find the argument of complex numbers.
  • Students will compare the absolute values and arguments of two complex numbers to the absolute value and argument of their sum.

Vocabulary

  • complex number
  • position vector
  • absolute value or magnitude of a complex number
  • argument of a complex number

About the Lesson

This lesson involves the addition of two complex numbers.
As a result, students will:

  • Compute the sum of specific complex numbers, make a general statement to describe this sum, and characterize the sum geometrically.
  • Compute the absolute value and argument of complex numbers.
  • Investigate and analyze the sum of two complex numbers with point representations that lie on the same line.

Subject Area
Math: Precalculus: Applications of Trigonometry
Level
9-12
Activity Time
45 Minutes
Software
TI-Nspire™ CX
TI-Nspire™ CX CAS
TI Calculator
TI-Nspire™ CX series
TI-Nspire™ CX CAS/CX II CAS
TI-Nspire Version
5.0
Resource Types
Lessons
Format
TNS
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