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Worked solution

Divide exactly and identify real and imaginary parts

By expressing z=5−3i2+3iz=\dfrac{5-3i}{2+3i} in the form a+iba+ib, find the real and imaginary parts of zz in exact form.

CJC · Example 7

Answer

z=113−2113iz=\dfrac1{13}-\dfrac{21}{13}i; Re⁡(z)=113\operatorname{Re}(z)=\dfrac1{13}, Im⁡(z)=−2113\operatorname{Im}(z)=-\dfrac{21}{13}.

Compare your reasoning

“Realising” the denominator means multiplying numerator and denominator by the denominator’s conjugate, here 2−3i2-3i:

z=5−3i2+3i⋅2−3i2−3i=10−15i−6i+9i24+9=10−9−21i4+9=113−2113i.\begin{aligned}z&=\frac{5-3i}{2+3i}\cdot\frac{2-3i}{2-3i}\\&=\frac{10-15i-6i+9i^2}{4+9}\\&=\frac{10-9-21i}{4+9}\\&=\frac1{13}-\frac{21}{13}i.\end{aligned}

The denominator is real because ww∗=x2+y2ww^*=x^2+y^2 for w=x+iyw=x+iy: here it is 22+32=132^2+3^2=13. Split the fraction to read off Re⁡(z)=1/13\operatorname{Re}(z)=1/13 and Im⁡(z)=−21/13\operatorname{Im}(z)=-21/13. The imaginary part is the coefficient, without ii.

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