Terry Lee Advanced Mathematics

Practice
Questions
Solutions
Polynomials
(a) Let the roots be α , −α , β and γ .
∑ α = β + γ = −2 (1)
∑ αβγ = −α 2 β − α 2γ = 4 (2)
∏ α = −α βγ = −4
2
(3)
(2) can be rewritten as − α 2
(β + γ ) = 4 (4)
(4) −α ( β + γ ) 4
2
gives = ,∴α 2 = 2
(1) β +γ −2
Put α 2 = 2 to (3) gives βγ = 2. (5)
∴ From (1) and (5), β and γ are the roots of the eqn x 2 + 2 x + 2 = 0
∴ x 4 + 2 x 3 − 4 x − 4 = ( x 2 + 2 x + 2 )( x 2 − 2 ) , by inspection.
∴ The roots are x = −1 ± i and ± 2.

(b) (i) Let the eqn be x 3 + bx 2 + cx + d = 0, where b, c and d are rational numbers .
9 9
α + β + γ = = −b,∴ b = −
2 2
α 2 + β 2 + γ 2 = (α + β + γ ) − 2 ∑ αβ
2

2
25 ⎛ 9 ⎞
= ⎜ ⎟ − 2 ∑ αβ ,∴∑ αβ = 7,∴ c = 7.
4 ⎝2⎠
Terry Lee Advanced Mathematics

α 3 + β 3 + γ 3 = −b ∑ α 2 − c ∑ α − 3d
33 ⎛ 9 ⎞⎛ 25 ⎞ ⎛ 9 ⎞ 5
= ⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟ − 7 ⎜ ⎟ − 3d ,∴ d = −
8 ⎝ 2 ⎠⎝ 4 ⎠ ⎝ 2 ⎠ 2
9 5
The eqn is x3 − x 2 + 7 x − = 0, or on multiplying by 2, 2 x 3 − 9 x 2 + 14 x − 5 = 0
2 2
(ii) Let P ( x) = 2 x − 9 x + 14 x − 5 .
3 2

⎛1⎞ 1 9 1
By trial and error, P ⎜ ⎟ = − + 7 − 5 = 0,∴ is a root, or 2 x − 1 is a factor.
⎝2⎠ 4 4 2
2 x − 9 x + 14 x − 5 = (2 x − 1)( x − 4 x + 5), by inspection.
3 2 2

1
∴ The roots are x = and 2 ± i.
2

(c) (i) −ki is also a root because the coefficients are real.
(ii) Substitute x by ki,
− k 3i − ak 2 + bki + c = 0
(− ak 2 + c) + i (− k 3 + bk ) = 0
∴−ak 2 + c = 0 and k (−k 2 + b) = 0, by equating the real parts and the imaginary parts.
But k ≠ 0,∴ k 2 = b.
(iii) Put k 2 = b to − ak 2 + c = 0 gives − ab + c = 0, or ab = c.
(iv) If 2 is a root of the equation then we can find a, ∑ α = 2 + ki − ki = − a,∴ a = −2 .
From ab = c , we can tell that c = −2b , so there is an infinite set of solutions for b and c
so long it satisfies c = −2b . For example, x3 − 2 x 2 + x − 2 = 0, where b = 1, c = −2, has
three roots 2 and ±i.

2 kπ 2 kπ
(d) 1 = cis 0 = cis 2kπ ,∴ 3 1 = cis , where k = 0, ±1 and 9 1 = cis , where k = 0, ±1, ±2,
3 9
±3 and ±4. Of the nine ninth roots of 1, the roots which correspond to k = 0, 3 and −3 also
are cube roots of 1.
But z 9 − 1 = ( z 3 − 1)( z 6 + z 3 + 1) .
2 kπ
∴ The solutions of z 6 + z 3 + 1 = 0 are x = cis , k = ±1, ±2, ±4.
9
2π ⎛ 2π ⎞ 4π ⎛ 4π ⎞ 8π ⎛ 8π ⎞
∴∑ α = cis + cis ⎜ − ⎟ + cis + cis ⎜ − ⎟ + cis + cis ⎜ − ⎟
9 ⎝ 9 ⎠ 9 ⎝ 9 ⎠ 9 ⎝ 9 ⎠
⎛ 2π 4π 8π ⎞ b
= 2 ⎜ cos + cos + cos ⎟ = − = 0
⎝ 9 9 9 ⎠ a
2π 4π π 8π π
∴ cos + cos − cos = 0, since cos = − cos .
9 9 9 9 9
π 2π 4π
∴ cos − cos − cos = 0.
9 9 9