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A Pure Imaginary Bottom

Part of the Quadratics & Complex Numbers section of Coddy's Algebra 2 journey. Lesson 23 of 48.

When the bottom is only imaginary, like 2i, its real part is 0, so its conjugate is -2i. That works: (2i)(−2i)=−4i2\left(2i\right)\left(-2i\right) = -4{i}^{2}, which is 4, a real number.

Multiplying by i works too, with smaller numbers: (2i)(i)=2i2\left(2i\right)\left(i\right) = 2{i}^{2}, which is -2. Any nonzero real multiple of i makes the bottom real.

Take 8−6i2i\frac{8-6i}{2i}. Times i on top and bottom: the top is 8i−6i28i-6{i}^{2}, which is 6+8i6+8i, and the bottom is -2. Split the fraction: 6 over -2 is -3, and 8i over -2 is -4i, so the answer is −3−4i-3-4i. The bottom is negative, so every sign of the top flips.

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Challenge

Divide 6+4i2i\frac{6+4i}{2i} and write the answer as a+bia+bi.

Try it yourself

6+4i2i\frac{6+4i}{2i}

Simplify

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