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Cambridge 4U Ex4.2 Q8 (1 Viewer)

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just equate the polynomials

bn z^n + b (n-1) z^(n-1) + ..... = c n z^n + c (n-1) z^(n-1) + ....

take everything over to one side and group the z^n, z^(n-1) etc

ie ( b n -c n) z^n + ( b (n-1) - c (n-1) ) z^(n-1) + ...... =0

now this can only be true if all the coefficents of z ^n , z^(n-1) , z^(n-2) etc... are all zero

therefore the result comes out
 
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the " are equal for more than n values of z" , comes from the fact that a nth degree equation , will have n solutions
( be they real or complex or a mixture )

when we equate the two polynomials we will get a polynomial equation of degree n , and by fundamental theorm of algebra this will have n solutions ( n values of z for which equality holds ) , the only way for their to be more than n values of z for which it is true is if they are infact the same polynomial
 
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khorne

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This is not a trivial problem, berks. This is an important theorem you need to know how to prove:

Consider them P(z) and Q(z)

Now consider P(z) - Q(z) as a polynomial which has more than n zeros. But the degree of P - Q is obviously less than or equal to n. So the only posibility is if P(z) - Q(z) = 0

I.e P(z) = Q(z), and then equate the coeffs.
 

Aindan

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wait, isn't this just equating coefficients?
 

Aindan

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It just seemed wierd to me, this seems too easy to be posted up. Maybe it was all the wording that confused pyro.
 

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