# Numbers on a complex plane

1. Jun 12, 2013

### tg22542

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Graph the following numbers on a complex plane.

A) 3-2i
B)-4
C)-2+i
D)-3i
D)-1-4i

Can smomeone help me how to get started on this question? I'm not sure what it wants me to do

2. Jun 12, 2013

### SteamKing

Staff Emeritus
First, find out what the complex plane looks like. (Hint: it looks just like a regular plane, except the y values are -4i, -3i, ..., 3i, 4i.

Plot A) thru B) from the OP and label the points.

Your work with complex numbers will get MUCH harder from this point.

3. Jun 12, 2013

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus
Do you know how to plot (3, -2) on a graph?

4. Jun 12, 2013

### tg22542

So use an xaxis of -4i to 4i and a y axis of -1 to 3 then simply plot them?

5. Jun 12, 2013

### Staff: Mentor

The instructions are pretty clear to me -
Have you looked in your book? It should have several examples of graphing complex numbers.

6. Jun 12, 2013

### Mentallic

No, you have your axes the wrong way around. The x-axis corresponds to the real numbers, and the y-axis to the imaginary numbers. To plot a number $z = a+ib$, you plot (a,b) and you label your real axis (x-axis) as Re(z) and your imaginary axis as Im(z).

Also note that $a = a+i0$ and $ib=0+ib$