find roots

Algebra Level 5

Given the polynomial G ( x ) = 16 x 4 + 8 x 3 + 4 x 2 + 2 x + 1 G(x)=16x^4+8x^3+4x^2+2x+1 has roots a 1 , a 2 , a 3 , a 4 \quad a_1,a_2,a_3,a_4 \quad that can be written as x n ( cos ( z n π ) + i sin ( z n π ) ) \quad x_n (\cos (z_n\pi )+i\sin (z_n\pi))\quad , where 0 z i < 2 π 0 \leq z_i < 2 \pi . n = 1 4 x n z n \sum_{n=1}^4 \dfrac{x_n}{z_n} can be written as a b \quad\dfrac{a}{b}\quad where a and be are coprime integers. find a + b a+b


The answer is 173.

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2 solutions

Aareyan Manzoor
Jan 2, 2015

make a substitution t = 2 x \quad t=2x\quad the polynomial becomes G ( x ) = t 4 + t 3 + t 2 + t + 1 G(x)= t^4 +t^3+t^2+t+1 which is the same thing as G ( x ) = t 5 1 t 1 t = 1 5 1 G(x)=\dfrac{t^5-1}{t-1}\longrightarrow t=\sqrt[5]{1}\neq 1 now, we know that 1 = e 2 π i = e 4 π i = e 6 π i = e 8 π i 1=e^{2\pi i}=e^{4\pi i}=e^{6\pi i}=e^{8\pi i} so, t = e 2 π i 5 , e 4 π i 5 , e 6 π i 5 , e 8 π i 5 t=\sqrt[5]{e^{2\pi i}},\sqrt[5]{e^{4\pi i}},\sqrt[5]{e^{6\pi i}},\sqrt[5]{e^{8\pi i}} t = cos ( 2 5 π ) + i sin ( 2 5 π ) t= \cos(\dfrac{2}{5}\pi)+i\sin(\dfrac{2}{5}\pi)\dots\dots since x = t 2 \quad x=\dfrac{t}{2} x = 1 2 ( cos ( 2 5 π ) + i sin ( 2 5 π ) ) x=\dfrac{1}{2}(\cos(\dfrac{2}{5}\pi)+i\sin(\dfrac{2}{5}\pi))\dots\dots n = 1 4 1 2 2 x 5 = 125 48 \sum_{n=1}^4 \dfrac{\dfrac{1}{2}}{\dfrac{2x}{5}} =\dfrac{125}{48} 125 + 48 = 173 125+48=\boxed{173}

I have updated the answer to 173, and removed the -66 from the question. Can you update the solution accordingly?

Calvin Lin Staff - 6 years, 5 months ago

exactly.. the same as i did :D

Aritra Jana - 6 years, 5 months ago

I think we must have x n > 0 x_n > 0 . Notice that
x n ( cos ( z n π ) + i sin ( z n π ) ) = x n ( cos ( z n π + π ) + i sin ( z n π + π ) ) x_n (\cos (z_n \pi) + i \sin (z_n \pi) ) = -x_n (\cos(z_n\pi + \pi) + i \sin (z_n \pi + \pi))

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