• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

complex polynomials (1 Viewer)

kr73114

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
373
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
a) use de moivres theorem to show that cos5A= 16cos^5A-20cos^3A+5cosA
b)hence solve 16x^4-20x^3+5=0
c) hence determine the exact value of cos^2(pi/10)cos^2(3pi/10)
 

shaon0

...
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
2,029
Location
Guess
Gender
Male
HSC
2009
1) cis5A=(cos(A)+isin(A))^5
Expand the RHS and then equate the reals. It's better if you do it as it'll give you some practice.
2) Let x=cos(A) and cos(5A)=0.
<=> cos(5A)=0=16x^5-20x^3+5x (divide by x here)
<=> cos(5A)=0=16x^4-20x^2+5 (you have a typo here)

=> cos(5A)=0=cos(+-(2n+1)*pi/2) where n E Z+
=> 5A=+-(2n+1)*pi/2
=> A=+-(2n+1)*pi/10
Now, just sub in n values to get x=cos(+-pi/10,...,+-9pi/10)
x=+-cos(+-pi/10,+-3pi/10,+-pi/2,+-pi/10,+-3pi/10) [by symmetry of cos(x) ie. cos(x)=-cos(pi-x)]
x=+-cos(+-pi/10,+-3pi/10,+pi/2) [but x=/=0 and hence x=/=+-cos(+-pi/2)]
x=+-cos(pi/10,3pi/10) [cos(x)=cos(-x)]

3) 16x^4-20x^2+5=0
=> x^2(16x^2-20+5x^-2)=0
=> 16 (x^2-5/8)^2-5/4=0
=> (x^2-5/8)^2=5/64
=> x^2=5/8+-sqrt(5)/8
=> x=+-(1/2)sqrt((1/2)(5+-sqrt(5))

By product of roots;
=> (+-1)^2[cos(pi/10)cos(3pi/10)]^2=[(1/2)sqrt((1/2)(5+sqrt(5))]^2[(1/2)sqrt((1/2)(5-sqrt(5))]^2
=> [cos(pi/10)cos(3pi/10)]^2=(1/4)^2(0.25(25-5))=(1/16)(0.25(20))=5/16


In part 2): it's 16x^4-20x^2+5 as you need a symmetric quartic to obtain the final part
 
Last edited:

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

Top