If a + b + c = 0 and a 3 + b 3 + c 3 = 2 1 6 , find the value of a b c .
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Let a , b , c be the roots of cubic polynomial F ( x ) :
p = a + b + c = 0 q = a b + a c + b c r = a b c
F ( x ) = ( x − a ) ( x − b ) ( x − c ) = x 3 − p x 2 + q x − r = x 3 + q x − r
F ( a ) = 0 ⟹ a 3 + q a − r = 0 ⟹ a 3 = r − q a
We have symmetric results for b and c :
a 3 + b 3 + c 3 = 2 1 6 ⟹ ( r − q a ) + ( r − q b ) + ( r − q c ) = 2 1 6 ⟹ 3 r − ( a + b + c ) q = 2 1 6 ⟹ 3 r = 2 1 6
r = 3 2 1 6 = 7 2
a b c = 7 2
Unfortunately, the choice of presentation obscures what is actually happening. What we are really going for, is a 3 + b 3 + c 3 − 3 a b c = ( a + b + c ) ( a 2 + b 2 + c 2 − a b − b c − c a ) .
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Note that a 3 + b 3 + c 3 − 3 a b c = ( a + b + c ) ( a 2 + b 2 + c 2 − a b − b c − c a ) .
However, a + b + c = 0 , so a 3 + b 3 + c 3 = 3 a b c
Thus, a b c = 3 2 1 6 = 7 2