Dare to find my roots! 2

Algebra Level 4

x 5 + 5 λ x 4 x 3 + ( λ α 4 ) x 2 ( 8 λ + 3 ) x + ( λ α 2 ) = 0 λ , α R x^5+5\lambda x^4-x^3+(\lambda \alpha -4)x^2-(8\lambda+3)x+(\lambda \alpha -2)=0 \\ \lambda,\alpha \in \mathbb{R}

Find the value of α \alpha for which the above equation has exactly two roots independent of λ \lambda .


The answer is -3.

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1 solution

Rishabh Jain
Jul 13, 2016

Let the expression be f(x). Write it as g ( x ) + λ p ( x ) g(x)+\lambda p(x) and since roots are independent of λ \lambda we must have g ( x ) = p ( x ) = 0 g(x)=p(x)=0 (at same value of x x ) so that f ( x ) = 0 f(x)=0 irrespective of λ \lambda .

f ( x ) = ( x 5 x 3 4 x 2 3 x 2 g ( x ) ) + λ ( 5 x 4 + α x 2 8 x + α p ( x ) ) = 0 f(x)=(\underbrace{x^5-x^3-4x^2-3x-2}_{\color{#D61F06}{g(x)}})+\lambda (\underbrace{5x^4+\alpha x^2-8x+\alpha}_{\color{#20A900}{p(x)}})=0

g ( x ) = 0 ( x 2 ) ( x 4 + 2 x 3 + 3 x 2 + 2 x + 1 ) = 0 ( x 2 ) ( x 2 + x + 1 ) 2 = 0 \color{#D61F06}{g(x)}=0\\\implies (x-2)(x^4+2x^3+3x^2+2x+1)=0\\\implies (x-2)(x^2+x+1)^2=0

Since f ( x ) f(x) has exactly two roots , x 2 + x + 1 = 0 x = ω , ω 2 x^2+x+1=0\implies x=\omega,\omega^2 . Now since x = ω x=\omega ( ω 2 \omega^2 will also work), setting p ( ω ) = 0 p(\omega)=0 we get α ( ω 2 + 1 ) = 3 ω α = 3 ω ω 2 + 1 = 3 \alpha(\omega^2+1)=3\omega\implies \alpha=\dfrac{3\omega}{\omega^2+1}=-3 . Hence α = 3 \Large \alpha=\boxed{-3} .

f ( x ) f(x) has exactly two roots and independent of λ \lambda and f ( x ) f(x) vanishes at x = ω , ω 2 x=\omega,\omega^2 when α = 3 \alpha=-3 .

NOTE:- ω , ω 2 \omega,\omega^2 are cube roots of unity.

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