Porisma

Worked solution

Recover a quartic and deduce reciprocal roots

Do not use a calculator in answering this question.

Given that z=1+iz=1+i is a root of 2z4+az3+7z2+bz+2=02z^4+az^3+7z^2+bz+2=0, find the values of the real numbers aa and bb and the other roots.

Deduce the roots of 2z4+bz3+7z2+az+2=02z^4+bz^3+7z^2+az+2=0.

2017/YJC/II/3

CJC · Example 12

Find the real coefficients

Answer

a=−5a=-5, b=−4b=-4.

The coefficients are real, so 1−i1-i is also a root. Form the conjugate quadratic and let the other factor be F(z)=2z2+Pz+QF(z)=2z^2+Pz+Q:

2z4+az3+7z2+bz+2=[z−(1+i)][z−(1−i)]F(z)=[(z−1)−i][(z−1)+i]F(z)=[(z−1)2−i2](2z2+Pz+Q)=(z2−2z+2)(2z2+Pz+Q).\begin{aligned}2z^4+az^3+7z^2+bz+2&=[z-(1+i)][z-(1-i)]F(z)\\&=[(z-1)-i][(z-1)+i]F(z)\\&=[(z-1)^2-i^2](2z^2+Pz+Q)\\&=(z^2-2z+2)(2z^2+Pz+Q).\end{aligned}

Compare the constant coefficient: 2Q=22Q=2, so Q=1Q=1. The z2z^2 coefficient gives 1−2P+4=71-2P+4=7, hence P=−1P=-1. The z3z^3 coefficient gives a=P−4=−5a=P-4=-5. The zz coefficient is

b=2P−2Q=2(−1)−2(1)=−4.\begin{aligned}&b\\ & =2P-2Q\\ & =2(-1)-2(1)\\ & =-4.\end{aligned}

Thus the factorisation is (z2−2z+2)(2z2−z+1)(z^2-2z+2)(2z^2-z+1). The coefficient-of-zz line printed in the notes has an error; the product above gives the corrected comparison.

How did this part go?

Find the other roots of the original quartic

Answer

1−i1-i and 1±7 i4\dfrac{1\pm\sqrt7\,i}{4}.

The remaining quadratic gives

2z2−z+1=0,z=1±1−4(2)(1)2(2)=1±7 i4.\begin{aligned}2z^2-z+1&=0,\\z&=\frac{1\pm\sqrt{1-4(2)(1)}}{2(2)}\\&=\frac{1\pm\sqrt7\,i}{4}.\end{aligned}

Together with 1−i1-i, these are the roots other than the given 1+i1+i.

How did this part go?

Deduce roots when the coefficients are reversed

Answer

1−i2\dfrac{1-i}{2}, 1+i2\dfrac{1+i}{2}, 1−7 i2\dfrac{1-\sqrt7\,i}{2} and 1+7 i2\dfrac{1+\sqrt7\,i}{2}.

The constant term is 2, so neither polynomial has zero as a root. Divide the reversed equation by z4z^4:

\end{aligned}$$ Set $u=1/z$. Reordering gives $2u^4+au^3+7u^2+bu+2=0$, the original quartic. Therefore its four roots give the four reciprocals: $$\begin{aligned}\frac1{1+i}&=\frac1{1+i}\frac{1-i}{1-i}=\frac{1-i}{1^2+1^2}=\frac{1-i}2,\\\frac1{1-i}&=\frac1{1-i}\frac{1+i}{1+i}=\frac{1+i}{1^2+1^2}=\frac{1+i}2,\\\frac4{1+\sqrt7\,i}&=\frac4{1+\sqrt7\,i}\frac{1-\sqrt7\,i}{1-\sqrt7\,i}=\frac{4(1-\sqrt7\,i)}{1^2+(\sqrt7)^2}=\frac{1-\sqrt7\,i}2,\\\frac4{1-\sqrt7\,i}&=\frac4{1-\sqrt7\,i}\frac{1+\sqrt7\,i}{1+\sqrt7\,i}=\frac{4(1+\sqrt7\,i)}{1^2+(\sqrt7)^2}=\frac{1+\sqrt7\,i}2. \end{aligned}$$
How did this part go?

Solution notes

On page 26 both source copies print −2+2Q=b⇒b=−4-2+2Q=b\Rightarrow b=-4, inconsistent with Q=1Q=1. Expanding the factors gives the correct zz coefficient 2P−2Q=−42P-2Q=-4. The original native transcription is preserved; the final printed value b=−4b=-4 is correct.