Definition:Complex Number/Polar Form/Exponential Form

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Definition

Let $z := \polar {r, \theta}$ be a complex number in polar form.

From Euler's Formula:

$e^{i \theta} = \cos \theta + i \sin \theta$

so $z$ can also be written in the form:

$z = r e^{i \theta}$


This form of presentation of a complex number is known as exponential form.


Also known as

Some sources refer to the exponential form $r e^{i \theta}$ of a complex number $z$ as polar form, and do not feel the need to treat it as a different representation from the $z = r \paren {\cos \theta + i \sin \theta}$ form.


Sources