60 Chapter^1
To determine analytically the rectangular coordinates (a, /3, 'Y) of
the point Q corresponding under stereographic projection to the point
P(x, y, 0) representing z = x + iy, we have
x y -1
(1.17-2)
since the three points P, Q, and N lie on the same line. From (1.17-2)
it follows that
Hence
so that
x=--a /3
1 -"(
and y=--
1-"(
. a+ i/3
z=x+iy= --
1 -"(
_. a - i/3
z=x-iy= --
1-'Y
(1.17-3)
(1.17-4)
(1.17-5)
2 - a2+132
lzl = zz = ( ) 2 (1.17-6)
1-'Y
Since the point Q(a,/3,'Y) is on the sphere we have, by (1.17-1),
a^2 +f3
2
+'Y^2 -"(=0 (1.17-7)
Hence (J..17-6) becomes
2
lzl2 = 'Y - 'Y = 'Y
(1-"()^2 1-'Y
and it follows that
lzl2
'Y = 1 + lzl2'^1 - 'Y =^1 + lzl2
1
(1.17-8)
Then equations (1.17-2) can be written in the form
a /3 1
-=-=---
x y 1 + lzl2
and we obtain
x Rez
a= ---= ---
l+lzl2 l+lzl2
y Imz
/3 = 1 + lzl2 1 + lzl2
(1.17-9)