Complex Number Rotation Visualization

Visualizing how repeated multiplication by (1 + εi) approximates rotation as ε → 0

0.001 0.05 0.1
1 1 200

Complex Plane

Results

Final value: 1.00 + 0.05i

Magnitude: 1.001

Angle: 0.050 radians (2.86°)

Expected angle (n×ε): 0.050 radians

Error: 0.000 radians

Explanation

This visualization demonstrates how repeated multiplication by (1 + εi) approximates a rotation in the complex plane.

(1 + εi)ⁿ ≈ e^{εni} = cos(nε) + i sin(nε) when ε is small

As ε approaches 0, multiplying by (1 + εi) repeatedly produces a result that is very close to a pure rotation by nε radians.

The blue point shows the result of the repeated multiplication, while the red point shows the ideal rotation for comparison.

Adjust the ε and n sliders to see how the approximation improves as ε becomes smaller and n increases.