Complex numbers: VJC 2024 Promo Q7
What this question tests
Question
(a)(i)Showing your working, find the complex numbers and which satisfy the following
simultaneous equations.
[4]
(ii)Points , and on an Argand diagram represent the complex numbers 0, and respectively.
Plot these points on an Argand diagram and state the transformation that maps the point onto . [2]
(b)The roots of the equation , where and are real numbers, are , , and
. It is given that . Explain why at most two of , , and are real. [2]
Show full worked solution▾
(a)(i) ———- (1)
—— (2)
(1) (2):
Let
Comparing real and imaginary parts:
Hence,
Sub into
Alternatively
and sub into eqn (2):
Let
and compare real and imaginary parts
7(a)(ii)

7(a)(ii)Transformation: is rotated anti-clockwise through about to obtain OR is rotated clockwise through about to obtain
7(b)Since , the equation has at least one non-real root. In addition, since the coefficients of the polynomial equation are all real, by conjugate root theorem, there is at least 1 pair of complex conjugate roots. Hence, at most two of , , and are real.