Final answer:
To operate on complex numbers, add or subtract real and imaginary parts separately, multiply using the distributive property, and divide by multiplying by the conjugate of the denominator. Polynomial operations similarly involve combining like terms, using the distributive property, and performing long or synthetic division.
Step-by-step explanation:
Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Complex Numbers and Polynomials
To add complex numbers, combine the real parts and the imaginary parts separately. For example, (3 + 2i) + (1 + 4i) = (3 + 1) + (2i + 4i) = 4 + 6i. For subtracting complex numbers, similarly subtract the real and imaginary parts: (3 + 2i) - (1 + 4i) = (3 - 1) + (2i - 4i) = 2 - 2i.
To multiply complex numbers, use the distributive property (FOIL), and remember that i² = -1. For instance, (3 + 2i)(1 + 4i) = 3 + 12i + 2i + 8i² = 3 + 14i - 8 = -5 + 14i.
For dividing complex numbers, multiply the numerator and the denominator by the conjugate of the denominator to rationalize it. For example, (3 + 2i) ÷ (1 + 4i), multiply numerator and denominator by (1 - 4i) to get [(3 + 2i)(1 - 4i)] ÷ [(1 + 4i)(1 - 4i)] = (3 - 12i + 2i - 8i²) ÷ (1 - 16i²) = (11 - 10i) ÷ 17 = (11÷ 17) - (10i÷ 17).
Polynomial operations are similar, but instead of imaginary units, we work with variables. For adding polynomials, combine like terms. For subtracting polynomials, change the sign of each term in the polynomial being subtracted and combine like terms. Multiplying polynomials also requires the distributive property, and for division, you can use either long division or synthetic division depending on the polynomials involved.