[Complex plane] arg[(z-1)/(z+1)] = pi/3

In summary: Notice that the denominator is 0 when x= -1. This is because the original equation represents a circle of radius 1, centred at (-1,0), which becomes a point when z = -1. So the equation shows that there are no values of z for which the argument of (z-1)/(z+1) is defined, so it does not represent a circle.In summary, the argument of (z-1)/(z+1) does not represent a circle as there are no values of z for which the argument is defined.
  • #1
tusher
2
0

Homework Statement


Show that arg[(z-1)/(z+1)] represents a circle. Find it's radius and centre.


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



using z = (x+iy) i narrowed down to (z-1)/(z+1) = (iy)/(1+x) , assuming it was a circle.
What next?
Is this correct approach??
 
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  • #2
using z = (x+iy) i narrowed down to (z-1)/(z+1) = (iy)/(1+x)
... how did you get that? Please show your working.

The next step is to take the argument and show that it is the same as the equation for a circle.
 
  • #3
I miscalculated. :(

The steps are..

[itex]\frac{z-1}{z+1}[/itex] = [itex]\frac{(x+iy-1)}{(x+iy+1)}[/itex]
= [itex]\frac{(x+iy-1)(x-iy-1)}{(x+iy+1)(x-iy-1)}[/itex]
=[itex]\frac{(x-1)^{2}-(iy)^{2}}{(x^{2})-(iy)^{2}}[/itex]
= [itex]\frac{(x)^{2}-2x+1+y^{2}}{x^{2}-1-2iy-(iy)^{2}}[/itex]
=[itex]\frac{x^{2}+y^{2}-2x+1}{x^{2}+y^{2}-2iy-1}[/itex]

Supposing,x[itex]^{2}[/itex] + y[itex]^{2}[/itex] = 1
we get ,
(x-1)/iy

I have no idea what to do next.
 
  • #4
Here, let me tidy that up a bit: $$\begin{align}
C &=\frac{z-1}{z+1} & & \text{(1)}\\
&= \frac{(x+iy-1)}{(x+iy+1)} & & \text(2)\\
&= \frac{(x+iy-1)(x-iy-1)}{(x+iy+1)(x-iy-1)} & & \text(3)\\
&=\frac{(x-1)^{2}-(iy)^{2}}{(x^{2})-(iy)^{2}} & & \text(4)\\
&= \frac{(x)^{2}-2x+1+y^{2}}{x^{2}-1-2iy-(iy)^{2}} & & \text(5)\\
& =\frac{x^{2}+y^{2}-2x+1}{x^{2}+y^{2}-2iy-1} & & \text(6)
\end{align}$$
(... I've called the original function C and numbered the lines to make it easier to talk about.)

What was the idea behind step 3? Please show your reasoning.
Note: at some stage you'll have to find arg[C] and show that it is a circle.

Supposing,x[itex]^{2}[/itex] + y[itex]^{2}[/itex] = 1
we get ,
(x-1)/iy
... how does that follow? Again, I don't see your reasoning.
(Assume that I know the maths but I'm in another country on the other side of the World and we may have different conventions in how we approach math problems here. I won't be offended.)

...lets see: $$c=\frac{x-1}{iy}=-i\frac{x-1}{y}$$... is purely imaginary so the argument is: ##\text{Arg}[c]=\pm\frac{\pi}{2}## ... i.e. it is a couple of points, not a circle.

Perhaps you should end up with something like: ##\text{Arg}[c] = x^2+y^2-k## ... where ##r=\text{Arg}[c]+k## is the (real) radius?

It's kinda hard to see how that would work.
How can an argument come to a circle - it takes 2D and turns it into 1D?
So there is something missing from the problem statement.Generally: $$\frac{z-z_1}{z-z_2}=c$$... is a circle in the complex plane if c ≠ 1 and is real.

... overall you need to think how the argument comes into this.
Note: C=r is the equation of a circle, radius r, with it's center at (x,y)=(1,0).
If A=arg[C] then the radius of the circle is r=√tan(A/2).
... depending on how the argument is defined in your course.

Aside: good use of the equation editor.
If you hot "quote" under this post you get to see how I tidied that up for you ;)
 
  • #5
So if we consider A(-1,0) and B(1,0) to be 2 points on the argand plane and z be any arbitrary point then line segment zA will be z+1 and zB will be z-1. The arguments will be arg(z+1) and arg(z-1) respectively. So the angle between the 2 lines will be arg((z-1)/z+1)). We have been given that this angle is constant(π/2). We know that any angle subtended by the end points of a chord on a circle is always equal. So we know that locus of z is a circle.
1494037889323173216631.jpg


The center can be found out be taking the incenter of an equilateral triangle(one of the many possibilities of triangle zAB)whose base is AB and radius will be the distance from this point to any of the 2 points(A or B)
Hope this was helpfull:smile:
 
  • #6
tusher said:
I miscalculated. :(

The steps are..

[itex]\frac{z-1}{z+1}[/itex] = [itex]\frac{(x+iy-1)}{(x+iy+1)}[/itex]
= [itex]\frac{(x+iy-1)(x-iy-1)}{(x+iy+1)(x-iy-1)}[/itex]
=[itex]\frac{(x-1)^{2}-(iy)^{2}}{(x^{2})-(iy)^{2}}[/itex]
= [itex]\frac{(x)^{2}-2x+1+y^{2}}{x^{2}-1-2iy-(iy)^{2}}[/itex]
=[itex]\frac{x^{2}+y^{2}-2x+1}{x^{2}+y^{2}-2iy-1}[/itex]

Supposing,x[itex]^{2}[/itex] + y[itex]^{2}[/itex] = 1
we get ,
(x-1)/iy

I have no idea what to do next.

I cannot see why you "simplify" the way you do. To convert(z-1)/(z+1) to X + iY form you need to multiply and divide by (x+1-iy), not the (x-1 - iy) that you used. I get
$$\frac{z-1}{z+1} = \frac{x^2+y^2-1 + i 2y}{x^2+y^2+2x+1}.$$
 
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FAQ: [Complex plane] arg[(z-1)/(z+1)] = pi/3

1. What is the complex plane?

The complex plane is a geometric representation of the complex numbers, where the horizontal axis represents the real numbers and the vertical axis represents the imaginary numbers.

2. What does "arg" mean in the context of this equation?

"Arg" is short for argument and in this context, it refers to the angle or direction of a complex number on the complex plane. It is measured counterclockwise from the positive real axis.

3. How is the complex number (z-1)/(z+1) related to the complex plane?

The complex number (z-1)/(z+1) represents a point on the complex plane, with the numerator being the distance from the origin and the denominator being the direction or angle from the positive real axis.

4. What does the equation arg[(z-1)/(z+1)] = pi/3 represent on the complex plane?

This equation represents a line on the complex plane that makes an angle of pi/3 with the positive real axis, passing through the point (1,0) and (0,1).

5. How many solutions are there to this equation on the complex plane?

There are infinitely many solutions to this equation, as the complex plane is continuous and any angle can be represented by multiple points on the plane.

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