Leaving Cert · Complex Numbers

Complex Number Explorer

← Maths Playground

Drag the point z on the Argand diagram to see its modulus and argument. Then switch to the 3D view and watch the same point spiral round as θ sweeps — its shadow on one wall traces a cosine wave, its shadow on the other traces a sine wave.

Polar Exponential

Select the point z and drag it to any position

z = r(cosθ + i sinθ) as θ sweeps round

Point z

Drag z on the diagram, or set r and θ directly.

r
θ°

Try these

3D animation

Turns

The maths

Euler's formula — where x and y come from

x and y are just the coordinates of z: the Real and Imaginary parts. Euler's formula says exactly how they relate to r and θ.

Substitute r and θ back in
Modulus
Argument

arg(z) is given in (−180°, 180°] — negative just means z sits below the Real axis, measured clockwise instead of anticlockwise.