ACT Math · Complex numbers

What is (4-3i)/(2+i)?

What is 4−3i2+i\dfrac{4-3i}{2+i}?

Answer and explanation

Answer: D: 1 - 2i

Multiply the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator, 2−i2-i. The numerator becomes (4−3i)(2−i)=8−4i−6i+3i2=8−10i−3=5−10i(4-3i)(2-i)=8-4i-6i+3i^2=8-10i-3=5-10i. The denominator becomes (2+i)(2−i)=4−i2=5(2+i)(2-i)=4-i^2=5. So the quotient is 5−10i5=1−2i\frac{5-10i}{5}=1-2i, choice D. Choice B (1+2i1+2i) loses the negative sign on the imaginary part. Choice A (3−2i3-2i) and choice C (2−i2-i) do not satisfy the check: multiplying 2−i2-i by 2+i2+i gives 55, not 4−3i4-3i. Always verify a complex quotient by multiplying it by the divisor to recover the numerator.

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