Use complex numbers to prove that the composition of rotations is another rotation

You need to solve

$$e^{i\phi}(e^{i\theta}(z-a)+a-b)+b=e^{i(\phi+\theta)}(z-c)+c$$ for $c$.

Rearranging the terms, you get

$$e^{i(\phi+\theta)}z+e^{i\phi}\left(\left(1-e^{i\theta}\right)a-b\right))+b=e^{i(\phi+\theta)}z+c\left(1-e^{i(\phi+\theta)}\right),$$

which validates the claim about composition and yields

$$c=\frac{e^{i\phi}\left(\left(1-e^{i\theta}\right)a-b\right))+b}{1-e^{i(\phi+\theta)}}.$$


Hint: Try to find a fixed point $c$, that is $$(R_b\circ R_a) (c) =c$$

that should be a center of a new rotation. Anyway, you are right about rotation angle, which is pretty obvious from formula you derive.


If my calculation are correct it should be $$ c={{e^{i\phi}(ae^{i\theta}-a+b)-b.}\over e^{i(\phi+\theta)}-1 }$$