root of unity question? (1 Viewer)

leisl1990

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i was just looking at the solution of a past paper question.

if w^n=1

1+w^1+w^2+.......w^(n-1)=1

true? and why?
 

Affinity

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it's false.. the sum is either 0 or n.

[1-w][1+w^1+w^2+.......w^(n-1)] = 1-w^n = 0

so if w is not 1, then 1-w is not 0 so [1+w^1+w^2+.......w^(n-1)] must be 0,
else the sum is n.
 
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leisl1990

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Affinity said:
it's false.. the sum is either 0 or n.

[1-w][1+w^1+w^2+.......w^(n-1)] = w^n - 1 = 0

so if w is not 1, then 1-w is not 0 so [1+w^1+w^2+.......w^(n-1)] must be 0,
else the sum is n.
good. thanks so much..
 

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