Question #d3532

1 Answer
Oct 30, 2017

#0+i#

Explanation:

We can solve this using De Moivre's theorem, what states;

#( costheta + isintheta )^n = cosntheta + i sinntheta #

What we will use without proof, but we can prove by induction

So applying this theorem;

#( cos(pi/2) + isin(pi/2) )^17# = #cos((17pi)/2) + isin((17pi)/2)#

So hence apply the knowledge that;

#sin ((npi)/2)# = 1 for #n = {1,5,9,...4k-3}, k in ZZ#
#cos((npi)/2)# = 0 for #n in {1,3,5...2m-1},m in ZZ#

What we can see when sketching these functions graph{sinx [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

graph{cosx [-10, 10, -5, 5]}

As #n = 17# holds for both statements prior;

So hence #cos((17pi)/2) + isin((17pi)/2)# = #0+i#