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Forum URL: http://www.cut-the-knot.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/forumctk.cgi
Forum Name: High school
Topic ID: 158
#0, Imaginery Numbers
Posted by Karl on Apr-27-02 at 08:31 AM
We were given this question back in the previous subject of imaginery numbers, but no-one solved it satisfactorily. It is still annoying me and i wondered if anyone could help me find the answer.
a = any angle or theata, but i don't have a button for that.

The question was Find the roots of z^4 + 1 = 0 and show them in an argand diagram. Resolve z^4 + 1 into real quadratic factors and deduce that cos2a = 2(cosa - cospi/4)(cosa - cos3pi/4)
z^4 = -1
= (cospi + i * sinpi) or to shorten that cispi
z = cis((pi + 2pi * k) / 4) where k = 0, 1, ... 3
z = cispi/4, cis3pi/4, cis5pi/4, cis7pi/4
for later work cispi/4 = to the conjugate of cis7pi/4
and cis3pi/4 = to the conjugate of cis5pi/4
Drew argand. But while we could prove the above statement, we couldn't deduce it from the roots of z^4 + 1


#1, RE: Imaginery Numbers
Posted by alexb on Apr-27-02 at 08:55 AM
In response to message #0
>We were given this question back in the previous subject of
>imaginery numbers, but no-one solved it satisfactorily. It
>is still annoying me and i wondered if anyone could help me
>find the answer.
>a = any angle or theata, but i don't have a button for that.
>
>The question was Find the roots of z^4 + 1 = 0 and show them
>in an argand diagram. Resolve z^4 + 1 into real quadratic
>factors and deduce that cos2a = 2(cosa - cospi/4)(cosa -
>cos3pi/4)
>z^4 = -1
> = (cospi + i * sinpi) or to shorten that cispi
>z = cis((pi + 2pi * k) / 4) where k = 0, 1, ... 3
>z = cispi/4, cis3pi/4, cis5pi/4, cis7pi/4
>for later work cispi/4 = to the conjugate of cis7pi/4
>and cis3pi/4 = to the conjugate of cis5pi/4
>Drew argand. But while we could prove the above statement,
>we couldn't deduce it from the roots of z^4 + 1

It's always a hard task to second-guess somebody's meaning. What might "deduce it from the roots of z^4 + 1" mean? The fact that cos(p/4) is a real part of a root of z4 + 1 = 0 (as is cos(3p/4))in conjunction with the Argand diagram suggests a value for cos(p/4). Once you know that value, the statement is deduced easily.

I think you should approach your teacher with the question about the meaning of that "deduction" request.