Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-1-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2024/paper-1/11/b/solution

The given complex numbers have positive real parts, so and . Their product is
By the assumed complex argument ranges, this product also has positive real part, hence . Its complex argument is consequently , with no extra multiple of . Since multiplication adds complex arguments,
This proves the arctangent addition formula under the stated branch restriction. For arbitrary real , the principal inverse tangent formula can require adding or subtracting when .

New to topics? Read the docs here!