How do you simplify (4-4i)/(5+3i)?

1 Answer
Nov 21, 2015

2/9-8/9i

Explanation:

Use the conjugate of the denominator. (Recall that the conjugate of a+b is a-b.)

We can multiply the expression by (5-3i)/(5-3i).

(4-4i)/(5+3i)((5-3i)/(5-3i))=(20-20i-12i+12i^2)/(25cancel(-15i+15i)-9i^2)=(20-32i+12i^2)/(25-9i^2)

Recall that i=sqrt1, so i^2=-1.

(20-32i+12(-1))/(25-9(-1))=(20-12-32i)/(25+9)=(8-32i)/36=2/9-8/9i

Note that the answer is written in the complex number format a+bi.