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Given that $z^2 + z + 1 = 0$ where $z$ is a complex number, how do I proceed in calculating $z^4 + \dfrac1{z^4}$?

Calculating the complex roots and then the result could be an answer I suppose, but it's not quite elegant. What alternatives are there?

7 Answers 7

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From $z^2 + z + 1 = 0$, we have $z +\frac{1}{z}=-1.$ Taking square, we get $z^2 +\frac{1}{z^2}+2=1,$ which implies that $z^2 +\frac{1}{z^2}=-1.$ I think you will know what to do next.

  • 5
    Another way to justify that $z+\dfrac1{z}=-1$ is that due to the coefficient symmetry, if $z$ is a root, then $\dfrac1{z}$ is a root as well. By Vieta, then, the sum of those two roots ought to be the negative of the coefficient of the linear term...2012-01-01
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Essentially the same calculation also follows from the observation that $x^2+x+1=\phi_3(x)$ is the third cyclotomic polynomial. So $z^3-1=(z-1)(z^2+z+1)=0$, and hence $z^3=1$ for any solution $z$. Therefore $ z^4+\frac{1}{z^4}=z\cdot z^3+\frac{(z^3)^2}{z^4}=z+z^2=-1. $

  • 9
    Very nice! If you had not posted this already, I would have used the _sum of geometric series_ (instead of cyclotomic polynomials) to write $0=z^2+z+1=\frac{z^3-1}{z-1}\Rightarrow z^3=1$ and $z^4+\frac{1}{z^4}=(z^3)z+\frac{1}{(z^3)z}=z+\frac{1}{z}=\frac{z^2+1}{z}=\frac{-z}{z}=-1.$2012-01-01
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$\begin{align*} z^4+\frac1{z^4}&=(-z-1)^2+\frac1{(-z-1)^2}\\ &=z^2+2z+1+\frac1{z^2+2z+1}\\ &=(-z-1)+2z+1+\frac1{(-z-1)+2z+1}\\ &=z+\frac1{z}=\frac{z^2+1}{z}=\frac{-z-1+1}{z}=-1 \end{align*}$

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    What would be wrong with systematic reduction using the minimal polynomial? Nothing!2012-01-01
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Here is an alternative approach: let's consider $z^{8}+1$ , and then divide by $z^{4}$.

By using geometric series, notice that $z^{8}+z^{7}+z^{6}+z^{5}+z^{4}+z^{3}+z^{2}+z+1=\left(z^{2}+z+1\right)\left(z^{6}+z^{3}+1\right)=0.$ Now, as $z^{2}+z+1=0$, we know that both $z^{7}+z^{6}+z^{5}=0$ and $z^{3}+z^{2}+z=0$, and hence $z^{8}+z^{4}+1=0$ so that $z^{8}+1=-z^{4}$. Thus, we conclude that $z^{4}+\frac{1}{z^{4}}=-1.$

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Different people see different things in the relation $z^2+z+1=0$. Just as Jyrki did, I see the third cyclotomic polynomial. Its roots are $-1/2 \pm \sqrt{-3}/2$, the two primitive cube roots of unity. Call one of these $\omega$ and see that $\omega^3=1$, so that $\omega^4=\omega$ and $\omega^{-4}=\omega^2$. Their sum is $-1$, from the defining relation.

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Hint $\ $ Exploit innate symmetry: for $\rm\ y = z^{-1} $ you know $\rm\ yz\ (=\: 1)\:$ and $\rm\ y+z\ (=\: z^{-1}\!+z\: =\: -1)\ $

Thus you know $\rm\ \ \ y^2 + z^2\ =\ (y\ +\ z)^2-\ 2\:(y\:z)$

hence you know $\rm\ y^4 + z^4\ =\ (y^2\! + z^2)^2 - 2\:(y\:z)^2$

For more on symmetric polynomials see the Wikipedia article on Newton's identities.

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    To downvoter: if something is not clear then please feel welcome to ask questions and I will be happy to elaborate.2012-01-01
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$z^2+z+1=0$ Clearly $z \not= 0$ and therefore $z+\dfrac{1}{z}=-1.$ Note that $z^{n+1}+\frac{1}{z^{n+1}}=\left(z+\frac{1}{z}\right)\left(z^n+\frac{1}{z^n}\right)-\left(z^{n-1}+\frac{1}{z^{n-1}}\right).$ Therefore if we define the function $U:\Bbb{N}\cup\{0\} \to \Bbb{C}$ as $U_n=z^n+\frac{1}{z^n}$ then we have $U(0)=2,$ $U(1)=-1$ and $U(n+1)+U(n)+U(n-1)=0\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\forall n \in \Bbb{N}.$
Using this recurrence you can calculate $z^n+\dfrac{1}{z^n}$ for any $n \in \Bbb{N}.$

Alos you can follow this approach.