• Want to help us with this year's BoS Trials?
    Let us know before 30 June. See this thread for details
  • Looking for HSC notes and resources?
    Check out our Notes & Resources page

Complex Root of Unity questions!! (1 Viewer)

ledamn

New Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2014
Messages
20
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Anyone would like to try to work out and explain these root of unity questions? :)
1. Let w, a complex number, be the cube root of unity.
(a) find possible values of w.
(b) Show w^2 + w + 1 = 0
(c) Hence simplify, (1+w)^6

2. Given w, a complex number, is a root of equation z^3-1=0, find:
(a) a+bw+cw^2 / c + aw + bw^2

(b) (1-w+w^2)(1+w-w^2)

3. A polynomial R(z) is given by R(z) = z^6 -1. Let (alpha) not = to 1, be that complex root of R(z) =0 which has the smallest positive argument. Show that 1+(alpha)+(alpha)^2 + (alpha)^3....(alpha)^5 = 0.
 

Axio

=o
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
484
Gender
Male
HSC
2015
Anyone would like to try to work out and explain these root of unity questions? :)
1. Let w, a complex number, be the cube root of unity.
(a) find possible values of w.
(b) Show w^2 + w + 1 = 0
(c) Hence simplify, (1+w)^6

2. Given w, a complex number, is a root of equation z^3-1=0, find:
(a) a+bw+cw^2 / c + aw + bw^2

(b) (1-w+w^2)(1+w-w^2)

3. A polynomial R(z) is given by R(z) = z^6 -1. Let (alpha) not = to 1, be that complex root of R(z) =0 which has the smallest positive argument. Show that 1+(alpha)+(alpha)^2 + (alpha)^3....(alpha)^5 = 0.
I've done a few. Some may be wrong.

1a. w is a cube root of unity, making w^3 =1. Clearly w=1 is a solution. The roots are equally spaced around the unit circle. Making w=1, cis2pi/3, cis-2pi/3= cos2pi/3 - sin2pi/3.

1b. w^2, w and 1 are cube roots of unity. Therefore w^2 + w + 1 = 2cos2pi/3 + sin2pi/3 - sin2pi/3 +1 = -1 +1 = 0

1c. w+1=-w^2. Therefore (w+1)^6 = (-w^2)^6=w^12 =cis8pi=1

2b. (1-w+w^2)(1+w-w^2)=(-2w)(-2w^2)=-2(w^3)=-2cis2pi=-2
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
196
Gender
Male
HSC
2016
And for 1b.
Can't you just show w^2 + w + 1=0
Cant you just factorise w^3-1=0?
(w-1)(w^2+w+1)=0
therefore, w^2 +w+1=0
 

integral95

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Messages
779
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Hey @integral95, how would you use S.O.R in question 3?
Yeah when you work out the roots of z^6-1 = 0 you pretty much get

1, (alpha), (alpha)^2 ,(alpha)^3....(alpha)^5 as the roots where alpha is a complex root with the smallest positive argument

use S.O.R of the polynomial which is 1+(alpha)+(alpha)^2 + (alpha)^3....(alpha)^5 =-0/1 = 0
 
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
196
Gender
Male
HSC
2016
Oh I understand. Can you solve this hard one?

4. w is a complex cube root of 1. Show w^2 is also a root. Find the value of 1+w+w^2. Hence find the value of (1+2w+3w^3)(1+2w^2+3w).
5. Show solutions of equation (z+1)^4=4(z-1)^4 are 1+-2i and 1/5(1+-2i)
6. Find the quadratic equation, with integer coefficient that has roots 4+w, 4+w^2
7. Given (2+3i)^3=-46+9i, find another value of z such that z^3 = -46 + 9i

Gl!
 
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
196
Gender
Male
HSC
2016
Nah for question 7, I kinda think I should change the question to make it seem more a root of unity question.

They give you (2+3i)^3 = -46 +9i & z^3 = -46 +9i ------> which both looks the same (-46+9i. Therefore:)

z^3= -46 +9i (sub in (2+3i)^3 = -46+9i)
z^3 = (2+3i)^3 (Both have the power same power. Now divide?)
(z/ 2+3i ) ^3 = 1

Sub w = (z/ 2+3i)^3
therefore,
w^3 = 1 (Root of unity question now?
Sub in w= rcis(theta)

r^3cis(3-theta) = cis(0) (Sub w= rcis theta, then use demoivres. Change the right hand side to mod/arg form)

r^3 = 1 3(theta) = 0 + k360
r=1 theta = k360/3
Where k = 0, +-1, +-2 ... etc.
k=0, theta= 0 ---> w = cis0 = 1
k=1, theta= 120 ----> w = cis3pi/2
k=2, theta = 240 -----> w= cis 3pi/4

Now I think sub w = (z / 2 + 3i)^3 because in question 7 asks, "to find other values of z" therefore you gotta sub the 3 'w' values you had just worked out above?
But, once you sub in w, to find z. It's too messy, so before subbing any 'w' values, I want to manipulate the given equation " w= (z / 2+3i)^3 " to make z the subject.

After making z the subject, then just sub in w to find z. Just algebra afterwards
 

integral95

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Messages
779
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
Oh I understand. Can you solve this hard one?

4. w is a complex cube root of 1. Show w^2 is also a root. Find the value of 1+w+w^2. Hence find the value of (1+2w+3w^3)(1+2w^2+3w).
5. Show solutions of equation (z+1)^4=4(z-1)^4 are 1+-2i and 1/5(1+-2i)
6. Find the quadratic equation, with integer coefficient that has roots 4+w, 4+w^2
7. Given (2+3i)^3=-46+9i, find another value of z such that z^3 = -46 + 9i

Gl!
4. expand the whole thing and simply with w^3 = 1 and 1+w+w^2 = 0

5.just sub them in ;)

6.x^2-(4+w+4+w^2)x+(4+w)(4+w^2)
 

HeroicPandas

Heroic!
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,547
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
4. expand the whole thing and simply with w^3 = 1 and 1+w+w^2 = 0
expanding seems tedious.. how about using the two things you gave us (w^3 = 1 and 1+w+w^2 = 0) straight away to simplify that mess so that expanding is easier?
 
Joined
Sep 29, 2013
Messages
196
Gender
Male
HSC
2016
How would you simplify straight away using (w^3 = 1 and 1+w+w^2=0) to make expanding easier?
 

HeroicPandas

Heroic!
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
1,547
Gender
Male
HSC
2013
w^3 = 1 .... (1)

1+w+w^2 = 0 ....... (2)

Simplify (showing important steps)
= (1+2w+3w^3)(1+2w^2+3w)

= (1 +2w + 3)(1+ 3w + 2w^2) (using ..(1) and slightly re-arranging second product)

= 2(2 + w)( 2 + 2w + 2w^(2) - 1 + w ) (using ...2 x (2))

= 2(2 + w)( 2(0) + w - 1 )

= 2(w + 2)(w - 1)

= 2(w^2 + w - 2)

= 2( -1 - 2 ) (using ...(2) and re-arranging, i.e. 1+w+w^2 = 0 -----> w+w^2 = -1)

= -6
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top