Some Generalized stuff by me

All of us have solved many problems on cubic polynomials who have their roots in Arithmetic Progression and Geometric Progression.So I have found a relationship between the coefficients of these polynomials which makes these roots special.

So first , let's start with the roots in Arithmetic Progression.

Consider a polynomial : $\alpha_1x^3+\alpha_2x^2+\alpha_3x+\alpha_4$.

Let its roots be $\beta , \gamma , \lambda$ such that they form an arithmetic progression.So we have a relation :

$\Rightarrow 2\gamma = \beta + \lambda \dots (1)$

Now our favorite polynomial tool cum friend that is , Vieta's formula will help us to have some more relations:

$\sigma_1=\beta +\gamma + \lambda = \dfrac{-\alpha_2}{\alpha_1} \dots (2) \\ \sigma_2=\beta\gamma + \beta\lambda + \lambda\gamma = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \dots (3) \\ \sigma_3= \beta\gamma\lambda = \dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1} \dots (4)$

Using $(1),(2)$ we have :

$\beta +\gamma + \lambda = 2\gamma+ \gamma = 3\gamma= \dfrac{-\alpha_2}{\alpha_1} \Rightarrow \gamma = \dfrac{-\alpha_2}{3\alpha_1} \dots (5)$

Using $(1),(3),(5)$ we have :

$\beta\gamma + \beta\lambda + \lambda\gamma = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \gamma(\beta+\lambda)+\beta\lambda = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \dots(6) \\ \Rightarrow 2\gamma^2 + \beta\lambda = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow 2\left( \dfrac{-\alpha_2}{3\alpha_1}\right)^2 + \beta\lambda = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \beta\lambda = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} - \dfrac{2\alpha_2^2}{9\alpha_1^2} \\ \Rightarrow \beta\lambda=\dfrac{9\alpha_1\alpha_3-2\alpha_2^2}{9\alpha_1^2} \dots (7)$

Using $(4) , (7)$ we have :

$\dfrac{\sigma_3}{\beta\lambda} = \gamma \\ \Rightarrow \dfrac{\dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1}}{\dfrac{9\alpha_1\alpha_3-2\alpha_2^2}{9\alpha_1^2}} = \dfrac{-\alpha_2}{3\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \left(\dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1}\right) \times \left(\dfrac{9\alpha_1^2}{9\alpha_1\alpha_3-2\alpha_2^2}\right)=\dfrac{-\alpha_2}{3\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \dfrac{-9\alpha_1^2\alpha_4}{9\alpha_1\alpha_3-2\alpha_2^2} \\ \Rightarrow 27\alpha_1^2\alpha_4=9\alpha_1\alpha_2\alpha_3 - 2\alpha_2^3$

Thus , we can write the relation between coefficients as :

$\Large\boxed{\alpha_4(2\alpha_2^3+27\alpha_1^2\alpha_4) = 9\displaystyle\prod_{i=1}^4 \alpha_i}$

Now let the roots $\beta , \gamma , \lambda$ form a Geometric progression.Thus we have the relation :

$\gamma^2=\beta\lambda \dots (8)$

Using $(1)$ we have :

$\beta+\lambda = \dfrac{-\alpha_2}{\alpha_1} - \gamma \Rightarrow \beta+\lambda=-\left(\dfrac{\alpha_2}{\alpha_1} + \gamma\right) \dots (9)$

Using $(4),(8)$ we have :

$\beta\gamma\lambda = \dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1} \Rightarrow \gamma^3= \dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1} \Rightarrow \gamma= \sqrt[3]{ \dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1}} \dots (10)$

Using $(6),(9),(10)$ we will have :

$\gamma(\beta+\lambda)+\beta\lambda = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow -\gamma\left(\dfrac{\alpha_2}{\alpha_1} + \gamma\right) + \gamma^2 = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \dfrac{-\alpha_2\gamma}{\alpha_1} - \gamma^2+\gamma^2 = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \dfrac{-\alpha_2\gamma}{\alpha_1} = \dfrac{\alpha_3}{\alpha_1} \\ \Rightarrow \gamma = \dfrac{-\alpha_3}{\alpha_2} \\ \Rightarrow \sqrt[3]{ \dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1}} = \dfrac{-\alpha_3}{\alpha_2} \\ \Rightarrow \dfrac{-\alpha_4}{\alpha_1} = \dfrac{-\alpha_3^3}{\alpha_2^3} \\ \alpha_4\alpha_2^3 = \alpha_1\alpha_3^3$

This when rearranged properly we get the following relationship between the coefficients:

$\Large\boxed{\dfrac{\alpha_1}{\alpha_4}=\left(\dfrac{\alpha_2}{\alpha_3}\right)^3}$

See the extention of this note by clicking here