JEE Challenger
More from Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations

Angle Subtended at Origin by Elements in Complex Subsets

Given w=3+i2w = \frac{\sqrt{3} + i}{2} and the set P={wn:n=1,2,3,…}P = \{w^n : n = 1, 2, 3, \ldots\}. Define two subsets of the complex plane C\mathbb{C} as H1={z∈C:Re(z)>12}H_1 = \left\{z \in \mathbb{C} : \text{Re}(z) > \frac{1}{2}\right\} and H2={z∈C:Re(z)<−12}H_2 = \left\{z \in \mathbb{C} : \text{Re}(z) < -\frac{1}{2}\right\}. If z1∈P∩H1z_1 \in P \cap H_1 and z2∈P∩H2z_2 \in P \cap H_2, while OO denotes the origin, then the angle ∠z1Oz2\angle z_1 O z_2 can be equal to

Options

A

π2\frac{\pi}{2}

B

π6\frac{\pi}{6}

C

2π3\frac{2\pi}{3}

Correct
D

5π6\frac{5\pi}{6}

Correct

Step-by-Step Solution

To find the possible values of the angle ∠z1Oz2\angle z_1 O z_2, we begin by expressing the given complex number ww in polar (Euler's) form: w=3+i2=cos⁡(π6)+isin⁡(π6)=eiπ/6w = \frac{\sqrt{3} + i}{2} = \cos\left(\frac{\pi}{6}\right) + i \sin\left(\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = e^{i\pi/6}

The set PP is given by: P={wn:n=1,2,3,…}P = \{w^n : n = 1, 2, 3, \ldots\} Since w12=ei2π=1w^{12} = e^{i 2\pi} = 1, the sequence wnw^n is periodic with period 1212. Thus, PP has 1212 distinct elements: wn=einπ/6=cos⁡(nπ6)+isin⁡(nπ6),for n∈{1,2,3,…,12}w^n = e^{i n\pi/6} = \cos\left(\frac{n\pi}{6}\right) + i \sin\left(\frac{n\pi}{6}\right), \quad \text{for } n \in \{1, 2, 3, \ldots, 12\}

Next, we identify the elements belonging to the subsets H1H_1 and H2H_2.

1. Determining the set P∩H1P \cap H_1:

The set H1H_1 consists of complex numbers zz such that Re(z)>12\text{Re}(z) > \frac{1}{2}. For z=wnz = w^n: Re(wn)=cos⁡(nπ6)>12\text{Re}(w^n) = \cos\left(\frac{n\pi}{6}\right) > \frac{1}{2} This inequality holds when: −π3<nπ6<π3(mod2π)-\frac{\pi}{3} < \frac{n\pi}{6} < \frac{\pi}{3} \pmod{2\pi} Checking for integer values of n∈{1,2,…,12}n \in \{1, 2, \ldots, 12\}:

  • For n=1n = 1: cos⁡(π6)=32>12\cos\left(\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} > \frac{1}{2}
  • For n=2n = 2: cos⁡(π3)=12≯12\cos\left(\frac{\pi}{3}\right) = \frac{1}{2} \ngtr \frac{1}{2}
  • For n=11n = 11: cos⁡(11π6)=32>12\cos\left(\frac{11\pi}{6}\right) = \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} > \frac{1}{2}
  • For n=12n = 12: cos⁡(2π)=1>12\cos(2\pi) = 1 > \frac{1}{2}

Thus, the possible arguments θ1=arg⁡(z1)\theta_1 = \arg(z_1) for z1∈P∩H1z_1 \in P \cap H_1 are: θ1∈{−π6,0,π6}\theta_1 \in \left\{ -\frac{\pi}{6}, 0, \frac{\pi}{6} \right\}


2. Determining the set P∩H2P \cap H_2:

The set H2H_2 consists of complex numbers zz such that Re(z)<−12\text{Re}(z) < -\frac{1}{2}. For z=wnz = w^n: Re(wn)=cos⁡(nπ6)<−12\text{Re}(w^n) = \cos\left(\frac{n\pi}{6}\right) < -\frac{1}{2} This inequality holds when: 2π3<nπ6<4π3(mod2π)\frac{2\pi}{3} < \frac{n\pi}{6} < \frac{4\pi}{3} \pmod{2\pi} Checking for integer values of n∈{1,2,…,12}n \in \{1, 2, \ldots, 12\}:

  • For n=4n = 4: cos⁡(2π3)=−12≮−12\cos\left(\frac{2\pi}{3}\right) = -\frac{1}{2} \nless -\frac{1}{2}
  • For n=5n = 5: cos⁡(5π6)=−32<−12\cos\left(\frac{5\pi}{6}\right) = -\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} < -\frac{1}{2}
  • For n=6n = 6: cos⁡(π)=−1<−12\cos(\pi) = -1 < -\frac{1}{2}
  • For n=7n = 7: cos⁡(7π6)=−32<−12\cos\left(\frac{7\pi}{6}\right) = -\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2} < -\frac{1}{2}
  • For n=8n = 8: cos⁡(4π3)=−12≮−12\cos\left(\frac{4\pi}{3}\right) = -\frac{1}{2} \nless -\frac{1}{2}

Thus, the possible arguments θ2=arg⁡(z2)\theta_2 = \arg(z_2) for z2∈P∩H2z_2 \in P \cap H_2 are: θ2∈{5π6,π,7π6}\theta_2 \in \left\{ \frac{5\pi}{6}, \pi, \frac{7\pi}{6} \right\}


3. Finding the angle ∠z1Oz2\angle z_1 O z_2:

The angle between the lines connecting the origin OO to z1z_1 and z2z_2 is the acute or obtuse geometric angle ∠z1Oz2∈[0,π]\angle z_1 O z_2 \in [0, \pi], given by: ∠z1Oz2=min⁡(∣θ2−θ1∣,2π−∣θ2−θ1∣)\angle z_1 O z_2 = \min\left(|\theta_2 - \theta_1|, 2\pi - |\theta_2 - \theta_1|\right)

Evaluating all possible pairings between θ1∈{−π6,0,π6}\theta_1 \in \left\{ -\frac{\pi}{6}, 0, \frac{\pi}{6} \right\} and θ2∈{5π6,π,7π6}\theta_2 \in \left\{ \frac{5\pi}{6}, \pi, \frac{7\pi}{6} \right\}:

  1. If θ1=π6\theta_1 = \frac{\pi}{6}:

    • For θ2=5π6\theta_2 = \frac{5\pi}{6}: ∠z1Oz2=5π6−π6=4π6=2π3\angle z_1 O z_2 = \frac{5\pi}{6} - \frac{\pi}{6} = \frac{4\pi}{6} = \frac{2\pi}{3}
    • For θ2=π\theta_2 = \pi: ∠z1Oz2=π−π6=5π6\angle z_1 O z_2 = \pi - \frac{\pi}{6} = \frac{5\pi}{6}
    • For θ2=7π6\theta_2 = \frac{7\pi}{6}: ∠z1Oz2=7π6−π6=π\angle z_1 O z_2 = \frac{7\pi}{6} - \frac{\pi}{6} = \pi
  2. If θ1=0\theta_1 = 0:

    • For θ2=5π6\theta_2 = \frac{5\pi}{6}: ∠z1Oz2=5π6−0=5π6\angle z_1 O z_2 = \frac{5\pi}{6} - 0 = \frac{5\pi}{6}
    • For θ2=π\theta_2 = \pi: ∠z1Oz2=π−0=π\angle z_1 O z_2 = \pi - 0 = \pi
    • For θ2=7π6\theta_2 = \frac{7\pi}{6}: ∠z1Oz2=2π−7π6=5π6\angle z_1 O z_2 = 2\pi - \frac{7\pi}{6} = \frac{5\pi}{6}
  3. If θ1=−π6\theta_1 = -\frac{\pi}{6}:

    • For θ2=5π6\theta_2 = \frac{5\pi}{6}: ∠z1Oz2=5π6−(−π6)=π\angle z_1 O z_2 = \frac{5\pi}{6} - \left(-\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = \pi
    • For θ2=π\theta_2 = \pi: ∠z1Oz2=2π−(π−(−π6))=2π−7π6=5π6\angle z_1 O z_2 = 2\pi - \left(\pi - \left(-\frac{\pi}{6}\right)\right) = 2\pi - \frac{7\pi}{6} = \frac{5\pi}{6}
    • For θ2=7π6≡−5π6\theta_2 = \frac{7\pi}{6} \equiv -\frac{5\pi}{6}: ∠z1Oz2=∣−5π6−(−π6)∣=4π6=2π3\angle z_1 O z_2 = \left| -\frac{5\pi}{6} - \left(-\frac{\pi}{6}\right) \right| = \frac{4\pi}{6} = \frac{2\pi}{3}

Hence, the possible values for ∠z1Oz2\angle z_1 O z_2 are: {2π3,5π6,π}\left\{ \frac{2\pi}{3}, \frac{5\pi}{6}, \pi \right\}

Matching with the given options, the possible values are 2π3\frac{2\pi}{3} and 5π6\frac{5\pi}{6}.

Therefore, the correct options are C and D.