Did you mean (1 + z²)z or 1+z²z? If you meant (1 + z²)z, then let z = x + yi where x and y are real (1 + z²)z [1 + (x+yi)²](x+yi) [1 + x²+2xyi+y²i²](x+yi) Change i² to -1 [1 + x²+2xyi+y²(-1)](x+yi) (1 + x²+2xyi-y²)(x+yi) Separate real terms from imaginary terms [(1+x²-y²)+2xyi](x+yi) USE FOIL: (1+x²-y²)x+(1+x²-y²)yi+2x²yi+2xy²i² x+x³-xy²+yi+x²yi-y³i+2x²yi+2xy²(-1) Change i² to -1 x+x³-xy²+yi+x²yi-y³i+2x²yi-2xy² Separate real terms from imaginary terms (x+x³-xy²-2xy²)+(yi+x²yi-y³i+2x²yi) Combine like terms: (x+x³-3xy²)+(yi+3x²yi-y³i) Factor out i: (x+x³-3xy²)+(y+3x²y-y³)i Factor out common factors: x(1+x²-3y²)+y(1+3x²-y²)i So the real part is x(1+x²-3y²) ---------------- If you meant 1+z²z 1+z²z 1+z³ (1+z)(1-z+z²) (1+x+yi)[1-(x+yi)+(x+yi)²] Go through that just as I did above and get: x³-3xy²+1+(3x²y-y³)i and the real part is x³-3xy²+1 Edwin