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Q. polynomial-roots, etc (1 Viewer)

marsenal

cHeAp bOoKs
Joined
Nov 12, 2002
Messages
273
The equation x<sup>3</sup> + 2x + 1=0 has roots a, b, and c. Evaluate a<sup>4</sup> + b<sup>4</sup> + c<sup>4</sup>

So we know that,
a + b + c= 0
ab + ac + bc=2
abc= -1

But using these I am still not able to get the final solution. I get:

a<sup>4</sup> + b<sup>4</sup> + c<sup>4</sup> = (a+b+c)<sup>4</sup> - 2a<sup>3</sup>(b+c) - 2b<sup>3</sup>(a+c) - 2c<sup></sup>(a+b) - 5(a<sup>2</sup>b<sup>2</sup> + a<sup>2</sup>c<sup>2</sup> + b<sup>2</sup>c<sup>2</sup>) - 6abc (a +b +c)

From here I just keep stuffing it up ( I am assuming that so far I have got everything right).
 

spice girl

magic mirror
Joined
Aug 10, 2002
Messages
785
Technique1:

Find the polynomial with roots a^2, b^2 and c^2

Then you can find (a^2)^2 + (b^2)^2 + (c^2)^2 using the normal way of finding the sum-of-squares method.

Technique 2:
Be an absolute freak and remember by heart that:
a^4 + b^4 + c^4 = (a^3 + b^3 + c^3)(a+b+c) - (a^2 + b^2 + c^2)(ab + bc + ac) + abc(a + b + c)
 

bobo123

Member
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Feb 7, 2003
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300
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Female
HSC
2003
erm
heres an alternative
its longer
but yeah im not on spice girls level :(


sub a,b,c into p(x) individually

so you get
a^3+2a+1 = 0 (1)
b^3+2b+1 = 0 (2)
c^3+2c+1 = 0 (3)

mutiply (1) by a, (2) by b and (3) by c
so you get
a^4+2a^2+a = 0
b^4+2b^2+b = 0
c^4+2c^2+c = 0

all the lot together

you get :

(a^4+b^4+c^4) = -2(a^2+b^2+c^2) - (a+b+c)

answer is -7?
 

ezzy85

hmm...yeah.....
Joined
Nov 4, 2002
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Originally posted by bobo123
erm
heres an alternative
its longer
but yeah im not on spice girls level :(


sub a,b,c into p(x) individually

so you get
a^3+2a+1 = 0 (1)
b^3+2b+1 = 0 (2)
c^3+2c+1 = 0 (3)

mutiply (1) by a, (2) by b and (3) by c
so you get
a^4+2a^2+a = 0
b^4+2b^2+b = 0
c^4+2c^2+c = 0

all the lot together

you get :

(a^4+b^4+c^4) = -2(a^2+b^2+c^2) - (a+b+c)

answer is -7?
using this method i got a<sup>4</sup> + b<sup>4</sup> + c<sup>4</sup> = 8
 

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