Argument of a complex expression

In summary, the problem statement is how to correctly compute the argument of the given equation using relevant equations. Two different methods were presented, but they give different expressions for the argument. The first method involves separating the real and imaginary parts and using Euler's equation, while the second method uses the given expression and readily gives the argument. It is unclear which method is correct and why there is a discrepancy between the two results. Further explanation is needed.
  • #1
roam
1,271
12
Homework Statement
What is the correct way of computing the argument of the following equation?
Relevant Equations
I am trying to compute the argument ##\Phi## of the equation

$$\frac{r-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)} \tag{1}$$

which using Euler's equation can also be written in the form

$$\exp\left[i\left(\pi+\varphi\right)\right]\frac{\tau-r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)} \tag{2}$$
Problem Statement: What is the correct way of computing the argument of the following equation?
Relevant Equations: I am trying to compute the argument ##\Phi## of the equation

$$\frac{r-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)} \tag{1}$$

which using Euler's equation can also be written in the form

$$\exp\left[i\left(\pi+\varphi\right)\right]\frac{\tau-r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)} \tag{2}$$

(1) If we use the first equation, we can first separate out the real and imaginary parts of the expression by multiplying by the complex conjugate of the denominator

$$\frac{r-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}.\frac{1-\tau r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}=\frac{r-\tau r^{2}\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)+\tau^{2}r}{1-\tau r\left[\exp\left(i\varphi\right)+\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)\right]+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}$$

$$=\frac{r+\tau^{2}r-\tau\left(r^{2}+1\right)\cos\varphi}{1-\tau r\cos\varphi+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}+i\frac{-\tau\left(1-r^{2}\right)\sin\varphi}{1-\tau r\cos\varphi+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}.$$

Since, for a complex number ##z##, ##\text{arg}\left(z\right)=\text{atan }\left[\Im\left(z\right)/\Re\left(z\right)\right]##, we have:

$$\Phi=\text{atan}\left[\frac{-\tau\left(1-r^{2}\right)\sin\varphi}{r+\tau^{2}r-\tau\left(r^{2}+1\right)\cos\varphi}\right].$$

(2) However, the paper I am looking at used the second form (equation (2)), which readily gives:

$$\Phi=\pi+\varphi+\text{atan}\left(\frac{r\sin\varphi}{\tau-r\cos\varphi}\right)+\text{atan}\left(\frac{r\tau\sin\varphi}{1-r\tau\cos\varphi}\right).$$

Clearly, these two answers are very different. Which method is correct, and what is the cause of the discrepancy? Shouldn't we end up with the same expression for the argument regardless of the form we start with?

Any explanation is appreciated.
 
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  • #2
roam said:
Problem Statement: What is the correct way of computing the argument of the following equation?
Relevant Equations: I am trying to compute the argument ##\Phi## of the equation

$$\frac{r-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)} \tag{1}$$
Minor point: this is not an equation.
roam said:
which using Euler's equation can also be written in the form

$$\exp\left[i\left(\pi+\varphi\right)\right]\frac{\tau-r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)} \tag{2}$$
I would do something different -- replace ##\exp(i\phi)## in expression (1) by ##\cos(\phi) + i\sin(\phi)##, and then multiply by the complex conjugate of the denominator ##(1 + \tau r \exp(i\phi))## over itself.
I haven't worked this through, but that's where I would start.
roam said:
(1) If we use the first equation, we can first separate out the real and imaginary parts of the expression by multiplying by the complex conjugate of the denominator

$$\frac{r-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}.\frac{1-\tau r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)}=\frac{r-\tau r^{2}\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)+\tau^{2}r}{1-\tau r\left[\exp\left(i\varphi\right)+\exp\left(-i\varphi\right)\right]+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}$$

$$=\frac{r+\tau^{2}r-\tau\left(r^{2}+1\right)\cos\varphi}{1-\tau r\cos\varphi+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}+i\frac{-\tau\left(1-r^{2}\right)\sin\varphi}{1-\tau r\cos\varphi+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}.$$

Since, for a complex number ##z##, ##\text{arg}\left(z\right)=\text{atan }\left[\Im\left(z\right)/\Re\left(z\right)\right]##, we have:

$$\Phi=\text{atan}\left[\frac{-\tau\left(1-r^{2}\right)\sin\varphi}{r+\tau^{2}r-\tau\left(r^{2}+1\right)\cos\varphi}\right].$$

(2) However, the paper I am looking at used the second form (equation (2)), which readily gives:

$$\Phi=\pi+\varphi+\text{atan}\left(\frac{r\sin\varphi}{\tau-r\cos\varphi}\right)+\text{atan}\left(\frac{r\tau\sin\varphi}{1-r\tau\cos\varphi}\right).$$

Clearly, these two answers are very different. Which method is correct, and what is the cause of the discrepancy? Shouldn't we end up with the same expression for the argument regardless of the form we start with?

Any explanation is appreciated.
 
  • #3
Mark44 said:
Minor point: this is not an equation.
I would do something different -- replace ##\exp(i\phi)## in expression (1) by ##\cos(\phi) + i\sin(\phi)##, and then multiply by the complex conjugate of the denominator ##(1 + \tau r \exp(i\phi))## over itself.
I haven't worked this through, but that's where I would start.

Hi @Mark44

I tried your suggestion:

$$z:=\frac{r-\tau\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}=\frac{r-\tau\left(\cos\varphi+i\sin\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}$$

Multiplying with the complex conjugate:

$$\frac{r-\tau\left(\cos\varphi+i\sin\varphi\right)}{1-\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}.\frac{1+\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}{1+\tau r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)}$$

$$=\frac{r+\tau r^{2}\exp\left(i\varphi\right)-\left[\tau+\tau^{2}r\exp\left(i\varphi\right)\right]\left(\cos\varphi+i\sin\varphi\right)}{1-\tau^{2}r^{2}\exp\left(2i\varphi\right)}$$

$$=\frac{r+\tau r^{2}\cos\varphi+i\tau r^{2}\sin\varphi-\tau-\tau^{2}r\cos\varphi-i\tau^{2}r\sin\varphi\cos\varphi+\tau^{2}r\sin^{2}\varphi}{1-\tau^{2}r^{2}\exp\left(2i\varphi\right)},$$

which gives:

##\Re\left(z\right)=\frac{r+\tau r^{2}\cos\varphi-\tau-\tau^{2}r\cos\varphi+\tau^{2}r\sin^{2}\varphi}{1-\tau^{2}r^{2}\exp\left(2i\varphi\right)}##
##\Im\left(z\right)=\frac{\tau r^{2}\sin\varphi-i\tau r\sin\varphi\cos\varphi}{1-\tau^{2}r^{2}\exp\left(2i\varphi\right)}##

Therefore,

$$\text{arg}\left(z\right)=\text{atan}\left(\frac{\tau r^{2}\sin\varphi-\tau^{2}r\sin\varphi\cos\varphi}{r+\tau r^{2}\cos\varphi-\tau-\tau^{2}r\cos\varphi+\tau^{2}r\sin^{2}\varphi}\right).$$

Is this reducible to the form for ##\Phi## given in my post #1? I am not sure how it can be manipulated further.
 
  • #4
roam said:
$$=\frac{r+\tau^{2}r-\tau\left(r^{2}+1\right)\cos\varphi}{1-\tau r\cos\varphi+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}+i\frac{-\tau\left(1-r^{2}\right)\sin\varphi}{1-\tau r\cos\varphi+\left(\tau r\right)^{2}}.$$
I think this is correct except for a 2 in the denominator that doesn't affect the result.
 

What is the argument of a complex expression?

The argument of a complex expression is the angle between the positive real axis and the vector representing the complex number in the complex plane. It is usually denoted by the symbol θ.

How is the argument of a complex expression calculated?

The argument of a complex expression can be calculated using the formula θ = tan-1(Imaginary part/Real part), where Imaginary part is the coefficient of the imaginary unit i and Real part is the coefficient of the real unit.

What is the range of values for the argument of a complex expression?

The range of values for the argument of a complex expression is from -π to π radians or from -180° to 180°. This is because the complex plane is divided into four quadrants, with each quadrant representing a range of 90° or π/2 radians.

What does the argument of a complex expression tell us?

The argument of a complex expression tells us the direction or orientation of the complex number in the complex plane. It is also used to find the principal value of a complex number, which is the value of the argument between -π and π radians or between -180° and 180°.

How is the argument of a complex expression used in mathematics and science?

The argument of a complex expression is used in various mathematical and scientific fields, such as engineering, physics, and computer science. It is used to solve problems involving complex numbers, such as finding roots and powers of complex numbers, and in analyzing and representing periodic functions.

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