Python: Complex Numbers

Complex Number Syntax

Complex number can be written as

complex(3,4)

or

3 + 4j

A number with “j” appended, for example: 4j is the same as complex(0,4).

cc = complex(3, 4)

# alternative notation
dd = 3 + 4j

print(cc)
# (3+4j)

print(dd)
# (3+4j)

print(cc==dd)
# True

Get Real and Imaginary Parts

cc = complex(3, 4)

print(cc.real)
# 3.0

print(cc.imag)
# 4.0

Addition

# addition
print(( complex(2, 3) + complex(4, 5) ))
# (6+8j)

# adding a scalar adds to the real part
print(( complex(3, 4) + 1) )
# (4+4j)

Multiplication

# multiplication
print(( complex(1, 0) * complex(0, 1) ))
# (1j)

# scalar multiplication
print(( complex(3, 4) * 2) )
# (6+8j)

Length

abs(z)

Length of a complex number z.

print( abs(complex(3, 4)) )
# 5.0

Angle

cmath.phase(z)

Return angle of z in radians. Between [-π, π].

import cmath

# gets angle. return in radians
print( cmath.phase(0+1j) )
# 1.5707963267948966

Get Polar Coordinates

cmath.polar(z)

Rectangular to polar coordinates. Return a Tuple (length, angle).

import cmath

z1 = complex(0, 1)

# get polar coordinates. Returns (length, angle).
print( cmath.polar(z1) )
# (1.0, 1.5707963267948966)

Polar To Rectangular

cmath.rect(length, angle_in_radians)

Polar to rectangular. Returns a complex number.

import cmath

# polar to rectangular. Input is (length, ‹angle in radians›). Returns a complex number
z2 = cmath.rect(1, cmath.pi)
print(z2)
# (-1+1.2246467991473532e-16j)
# really is just -1 + 0j

Constans π and e

import cmath

print(cmath.pi)
# 3.141592653589793

print(cmath.e)
# 2.718281828459045

for a refresher on complex numbers, see Understanding Complex Numbers