System of equations incl. complex and absolute values

In summary, the speaker is currently trying to implement an algorithm in Matlab and has encountered a problem with solving a system of equations. They are struggling with how to handle the term |alpha| since Matlab only accepts it numerically, which is not an option in this case. The speaker has tried to solve for alpha but is having difficulty due to its dependence on the unknown value |alpha|. They are also unsure of how to handle the complexity of the system and are rusty with solving for complex numbers by hand.
  • #1
KanedaSyndrom
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Homework Statement



I'm currently implementing an algorithm in Matlab, however, I've hit a bump, I'm trying to solve the following system of equations:

Known variables = a, b, c, d[complex]
Unknown variabls = fs, fd, fv, alpha

My problem is what to do with the |alpha| since I can't get Matlab to accept that term analytically, only when solving numerically, which isn't an option in this instance.

Homework Equations



a = fs + fd*|alpha|^2 + fv
b = fs + fd + fv
c = fs + fd*alpha + fv/3
d = fv/3

The Attempt at a Solution



I've gone as far as solving to the point where I had alpha isolated and dependent on |alpha| alone.

So, I've no problem using the solve function in Matlab (to my knowledge), but I'm not able to find an analytical solution for this system due to the term |alpha|, since solve takes a string and won't recognize the 'abs(alpha)' as a string, and solving numerically isn't an option since there's more than a million iterations, so I have to find the analytical solution first before implementing.

I'm really rusty in solving for complex numbers by hand as well. I've searched the net, but what do you do when one of the factors in the system is an unknown as well?
 
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  • #2
Is alpha real, or possibly complex?
 
  • #3
Alpha is assumed complex, but really, all values would follow from the d value, and thus some values will become complex.
 

FAQ: System of equations incl. complex and absolute values

1. What is a system of equations?

A system of equations is a set of two or more equations that are solved simultaneously to find the values of the variables that satisfy all of the equations.

2. What are complex numbers?

Complex numbers are numbers that can be written in the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers and i is the imaginary unit (√-1).

3. How do I solve a system of equations with complex numbers?

To solve a system of equations with complex numbers, you can use the same methods as you would for solving a system of equations with real numbers, such as substitution or elimination. However, you may also need to use properties of complex numbers, such as the fact that the complex conjugate of a number a + bi is a - bi.

4. What is an absolute value?

The absolute value of a number is its distance from 0 on the number line. It is always a positive number, or 0 if the number is 0.

5. How do I solve a system of equations with absolute values?

To solve a system of equations with absolute values, you will need to break the equations into cases based on the different possibilities for the absolute value. You will then solve each case separately and find the values of the variables that satisfy all of the cases.

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