# Further Pure Maths: Complex Number Proof (1)

In this post, I’ll be proving that: $\left| { z }_{ 1 }\cdot { z }_{ 2 } \right| =\left| { z }_{ 1 } \right| \left| { z }_{ 2 } \right|$

First of all, let’s say that:

${ z }_{ 1 }=x+iy$

Whereby, $\left\{ x\in R,\quad y\in R \right\}$.

And also that:

${ z }_{ 2 }=p+iq$

Whereby, $\left\{ p\in R,\quad q\in R \right\}$.

If this is the case, this means that:

${ z }_{ 1 }\cdot { z }_{ 2 }=\left( x+iy \right) \left( p+iq \right) \\ \\ =px+iqx+ipy+{ i }^{ 2 }qy\\ \\ =px-qy+i\left( qx+py \right)$

Therefore:

$LHS\\ \\ =\left| { z }_{ 1 }\cdot { z }_{ 2 } \right| \\ \\ =\sqrt { { \left( px-qy \right) }^{ 2 }+{ \left( qx+py \right) }^{ 2 } } \\ \\ =\sqrt { \left( px-qy \right) \left( px-qy \right) +\left( qx+py \right) \left( qx+py \right) } \\ \\ =\sqrt { { p }^{ 2 }{ x }^{ 2 }-2pqxy+{ q }^{ 2 }{ y }^{ 2 }+\left\{ { q }^{ 2 }{ x }^{ 2 }+2pqxy+{ p }^{ 2 }{ y }^{ 2 } \right\} } \\ \\ =\sqrt { { p }^{ 2 }{ x }^{ 2 }+{ q }^{ 2 }{ y }^{ 2 }+{ q }^{ 2 }{ x }^{ 2 }+{ p }^{ 2 }{ y }^{ 2 } } \\ \\ =\sqrt { \left( { x }^{ 2 }+{ y }^{ 2 } \right) \left( { p }^{ 2 }+{ q }^{ 2 } \right) } \\ \\ =\sqrt { { x }^{ 2 }+{ y }^{ 2 } } \cdot \sqrt { { p }^{ 2 }+{ q }^{ 2 } } \\ \\ =\left| { z }_{ 1 } \right| \left| { z }_{ 2 } \right| \\ \\ =RHS$

Hence we’ve proven that:

$\left| { z }_{ 1 }\cdot { z }_{ 2 } \right| =\left| { z }_{ 1 } \right| \left| { z }_{ 2 } \right|$

# How to derive the formula for the area of an equilateral triangle

In this post I’ll be showing you how to derive the formula for the area of an equilateral triangle – in easy steps. In order to understand this derivation properly, you need to be familiar with Pythagoras’ theorem and also a few algebraic rules. What you’ll also need is a ruler, pair of compasses, a pencil and a sheet of paper.

Step 1: Put a point on a blank sheet of paper and name it A.

Step 2: Put the needle of your compass on the point A and draw a circle around it.

Step 3: Add a point B to this circle, on its edge.

Step 4: Put the needle of your compass on the point B and your pencil on the point A.

Step 5: Draw another circle with a radius the length AB.

Step 6: Now add a few extra points to your drawing. Call these points C and D.

Step 7: Connect the points A, B and C forming a triangle.

Step 8: Draw a line going through the points C and D.

Step 9: Where the line going through C and D intersects the triangle, place the point E.

Step 10: Now look at your latest work very carefully… What you will notice is that the lengths AB, AC and BC are all equal to one another. This is because both the circles you drew – are exactly the same size. They each have radiuses equal in proportion. In simple terms, AB=AC=BC.

What you have to do now is name these lengths (r) for radius. Here’s the thing though, because the line going through C and D splits the triangle (equilateral, as each of its sides has the same length) down its middle, the length AE is equal to 1/2 x r, and similarly the length BE is equal to 1/2 x r. Together, the length AE + BE = AB = r.

Step 11: Remember that I said that the line going through C and D splits the triangle down its middle. Also, notice that this exact line is perpendicular to the length AB. Now, because of this, at the point E, you’ve got two right angles. Name these two right angles big R.

[Knowing that these two angles are equal to 90 degrees is vital – because you’ll be able to use Pythagoras’ theorem to find the length CE.]

Step 12: Find the length CE using Pythagoras’ theorem, Adjacent² + Opposite² = Hypotenuse². You will need this length to find the area of the equilateral triangle you’ve produced.

*Algebraic skills will be required from this point…

${ AE }^{ 2 }+{ CE }^{ 2 }={ AC }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \Rightarrow \quad { \left( \frac { 1 }{ 2 } r \right) }^{ 2 }+{ CE }^{ 2 }={ r }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \Rightarrow \quad { CE }^{ 2 }={ r }^{ 2 }-{ \left( \frac { 1 }{ 2 } r \right) }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \Rightarrow \quad { CE }^{ 2 }=\frac { 4r^{ 2 } }{ 4 } -\frac { { r }^{ 2 } }{ 4 } \\ \\ \Rightarrow \quad { CE }^{ 2 }=\frac { 3{ r }^{ 2 } }{ 4 } \\ \\ \Rightarrow \quad CE=\sqrt { \frac { 3{ r }^{ 2 } }{ 4 } } \\ \\ \therefore \quad CE=\frac { r\sqrt { 3 } }{ 2 }$

Step 13: Derive the formula for the area (A) of the equilateral triangle. Remember that the area of a right angled triangle is L x W x 1/2.

$A=\frac { 1 }{ 2 } r\cdot \frac { r\sqrt { 3 } }{ 2 } \cdot \frac { 1 }{ 2 } +\frac { 1 }{ 2 } r\cdot \frac { r\sqrt { 3 } }{ 2 } \cdot \frac { 1 }{ 2 } \\ \\ =\frac { 1 }{ 8 } { r }^{ 2 }\sqrt { 3 } +\frac { 1 }{ 8 } { r }^{ 2 }\sqrt { 3 } \\ \\ =2\cdot \frac { 1 }{ 8 } { r }^{ 2 }\sqrt { 3 } \\ \\ =\frac { 1 }{ 4 } { r }^{ 2 }\sqrt { 3 }$

Presto!!! Keep in mind that you can transform the variable (r) into any variable you wish. This variable (r) is the length of each side of the equilateral triangle you were working with. The formula you’ve derived can be used to find the area of any equilateral triangle.

# Properties of C squared, Pythagorean Theorem

In this post, I’ll be writing about some peculiar properties of C squared in Pythagoras’ theorem.

Look at this diagram very carefully…

*What are the weird properties of C^2..? It turns out that A1=A2 and A3=A4. A2 + A4 = C^2.

It turns out out that area A1 is equal to area A2, and that area A3 is equal to area A4:

A1 = A2

A3 = A4

This can be proven because:

1. ${ A }^{ 2 }+{ B }^{ 2 }={ C }^{ 2 }$
2. ${ x }^{ 2 }+{ D }^{ 2 }={ B }^{ 2 }$
3. ${ \left( C-x \right) }^{ 2 }+{ D }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }$

Now, due to the above:

${ D }^{ 2 }={ B }^{ 2 }-{ x }^{ 2 }\\ \\ { D }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-{ \left( C-x \right) }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \therefore \quad { B }^{ 2 }-{ x }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-{ \left( C-x \right) }^{ 2 }\\ \\ { B }^{ 2 }-{ x }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-\left\{ { C }^{ 2 }-2Cx+{ x }^{ 2 } \right\} \\ \\ { B }^{ 2 }-{ x }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-{ C }^{ 2 }+2Cx-{ x }^{ 2 }\\ \\ { B }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-{ C }^{ 2 }+2Cx\\ \\ { B }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-\left\{ { A }^{ 2 }+{ B }^{ 2 } \right\} +2Cx\\ \\ { B }^{ 2 }={ A }^{ 2 }-{ A }^{ 2 }-{ B }^{ 2 }+2Cx\\ \\ { B }^{ 2 }=-{ B }^{ 2 }+2Cx\\ \\ 2{ B }^{ 2 }=2Cx\\ \\ \therefore \quad { B }^{ 2 }=Cx\\ \\$

But… B^2 is actually the area A1 and Cx is the area A2, which means that A1=A2.

Now, if B^2=Cx, this means that:

${ A }^{ 2 }+Cx={ C }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \therefore \quad { A }^{ 2 }={ C }^{ 2 }-Cx\\ \\ { A }^{ 2 }=C\left( C-x \right) \\ \\$

However, A^2 is equal to the area A3, and C(C-x) is equal to the area A4 – which means that A3=A4. Hence, we’ve proven that:

A1=A2

A3=A4

Related:

2 ways to derive Pythagoras’ equation from scratch

# 2 ways to derive Pythagoras’ equation from scratch

The other day I discovered one more way to derive Pythagoras’ equation from scratch, completely by accident. I was deriving Pythagoras’ equation using the usual method, whilst navigating  a diagram similar to the one below, but without (B-A) measurements…

*Note (regarding diagram above): x+y = 90 degrees

The usual method goes like this…

The area of the largest square is:

${ \left( A+B \right) }^{ 2 }$

It is also:

$4\cdot \frac { 1 }{ 2 } AB+{ C }^{ 2 }$

Which means that:

${ \left( A+B \right) }^{ 2 }=4\cdot \frac { 1 }{ 2 } AB+{ C }^{ 2 }\\ \\ { A }^{ 2 }+2AB+{ B }^{ 2 }=2AB+{ C }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \therefore \quad { A }^{ 2 }+{ B }^{ 2 }={ C }^{ 2 }$

Now, when I added the lengths (B-A) to my diagram, which are included in the diagram above, I discovered a new way to derive Pythagoras’ equation…

I did this by focusing on the area C^2. It turns out that:

$4\cdot \frac { 1 }{ 2 } AB+{ \left( B-A \right) }^{ 2 }={ C }^{ 2 }$

And since:

${ \left( B-A \right) }^{ 2 }\\ \\ ={ \left( A+B \right) }^{ 2 }-4AB\\ \\ ={ A }^{ 2 }+2AB+{ B }^{ 2 }-4AB\\ \\ ={ B }^{ 2 }-2AB+{ A }^{ 2 }$

I was able to say that:

$4\cdot \frac { 1 }{ 2 } AB+\left\{ { B }^{ 2 }-2AB+{ A }^{ 2 } \right\} ={ C }^{ 2 }\\ \\ 2AB+{ B }^{ 2 }-2AB+{ A }^{ 2 }={ C }^{ 2 }\\ \\ \therefore \quad { A }^{ 2 }+{ B }^{ 2 }={ C }^{ 2 }$

Obviously, I was quite pleased. Have you discovered other ways in which to derive Pythagoras’ equation??

Related:

Video on how to come up with Pythagoras’s equation…

How To Come Up With Pythagoras’s Equation