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Exercise 430Algebra › Complex numbersL1Added 3 Nov 2026

Modulus of a product

#modulus#product#quotient

Statement

Prove that ∣zw∣=∣z∣∣w∣|zw|=|z||w| for all z,w∈Cz,w\in\mathbb{C}.

Hint

Use ∣zw∣2=(zw)(zw)‾|zw|^2=(zw)\overline{(zw)} and zw‾=zˉwˉ\overline{zw}=\bar z\bar w.

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Solution

Computation.
∣zw∣2=(zw)(zw)‾=zwzˉwˉ=(zzˉ)(wwˉ)=∣z∣2∣w∣2.|zw|^2=(zw)\overline{(zw)}=zw\bar z\bar w=(z\bar z)(w\bar w)=|z|^2|w|^2.
Since moduli are nonnegative, ∣zw∣=∣z∣∣w∣|zw|=|z||w|.

Conclusion. The modulus is multiplicative: ∣zw∣=∣z∣∣w∣|zw|=|z||w|. Consequently ∣z/w∣=∣z∣/∣w∣|z/w|=|z|/|w| for w≠0w\neq0, and ∣zn∣=∣z∣n|z^n|=|z|^n.