a) fully factorise z^6-1=0 over the rational field
b) solve z^2+z^4+z^6 over the complex field
how do you use part a to do part b?
for a) z^6-1 = 0 -> (z^3-1)(z^3+1)=0 -> (z-1)(z^2+z+1)(z+1)(z^2-z+1)=0 using difference of squares, now z^2+z+1 and z^2-z+1 have complex roots so we do not factorise any further
then for b) using a) to expand some brackets: (z-1)(z+1)(z^4+z^2+1)=0
hence the solutions to z^4+z^2+1 = 0 are the complex 6ths roots of units, namely those with modulus 1 and argument pi/3, 2pi/3, -pi/3, and -2pi/3 (since z = -1, z = 1 are the solutions to z-1 = 0, z+1 = 0, meaning z^4+z^2+1 must have the other solutions to z^6 = 1)
now z^2+z^4+z^6 = z^2 (z^4 + z^2 +1) hence the solutions are z = 0 and the complex 6th roots of unity above