Selected Algebra Tutorial questions: Solutions

Kopano Malombo

1
Kopano Malombo Selected Algebra Tutorial questions ( ): Solutions Problem 1

Problem 1
(a) By first putting w = z 3 , solve the equation z 6 + 4z 3 + 8 = 0. Indicate all six roots in the complex plane.
Hence factorise z 6 + 4z 3 + 8 into quadratic factors with real coefficients.

(b) Find the sum to n terms of the series:

cosh(1) + cosh(2) + cosh(3) + .....

Solution
Part (a)
We first substitute w = z 3 to get a new equation.

w2 + 4w + 8 = 0
(w + 2)2 − 4 + 8 = 0
(w + 2)2 − 4i2 = 0
(w + 2 + 2i)(w + 2 − 2i) = 0
w = −2 − 2i or w = −2 + 2i
substituting back z we get
z 3 = −2 − 2i or z 3 = −2 + 2i

z 3 = −2 ± 2i
1
z = [−2 ± 2i] 3
√ 3π
|z| = 8 arg(z) = ±
4
√ π 2kπ
z = 2e(± 4 + 3 )
inserting k ∈ [−1, 1] gives the f ollowing roots
 √ iπ √ −iπ
 √2e 4 , √
 2e 4 k=0
i11π i5π
Roots = 2e 12 , 2e 12 k=1
 √2e −i5π

12 ,
√ −i11π
2e 12 k = −1

NB: Since the argument of z, with a positive imaginary part, is 3π

4 , It makes sense for the argument of the
3π
other z to be - 4 since the two z values are complex conjugates.

Factorising into quadratic factors:

Recall the result:

(z − α)(z − α) = z 2 − z(α + α) + |α|2

√iπ √ −iπ √ i11π √ −i11π √ i5π √ −i5π

z 6 + 4z 3 + 8 = (z − 2e 4 )(z − 2e 4 )(z − 2e 12 )(z − 2e 12 )(z − 2e 12 )(z − 2e 12 )
√ iπ √ −iπ √ i11π √ −i11π √ −i5π √ i5π
= (z 2 − z( 2e 4 + 2e 4 ) + 2)(z 2 − z( 2e 12 + 2e 12 ) + 2)(z 2 − z( 2e 12 + 2e 12 ) + 2)
√ π √ 11π √ 5π
= (z 2 − 2 2zcos( ) + 2))(z 2 − 2 2zcos( ) + 2)(z 2 − 2 2zcos( ) + 2)
4 12 12
2 2
√ 11π 2
√ 5π
= (z − 2z + 2)(z − 2 2zcos( ) + 2)(z − 2 2zcos( ) + 2)
12 12

Problem 1 continued on next page. . . 2

Kopano Malombo Selected Algebra Tutorial questions ( ): Solutions Problem 1 (continued)

NB: I have made the assumption that you know how to sketch roots in the complex plane hence I havn’t
included it here.

Part (b)

1 1
cosh(1) + cosh(2) + cosh(3) + .... = (e + e2 + e3 + ...) + (e−1 + e−2 + e−3 + ...)
2 2
1 e(1 − en ) e−1 (1 − e−n )
= ( + )
2 1−e 1 − e−1
1 e(1 − en ) e−1 (1 − e−n ) e
= ( + · )
2 1−e 1 − e−1 e
n+1 −n
e−e 1−e
= +
2(1 − e) 2(e − 1)
e − en+1 − 1 + e−n
=
2(1 − e)
e n+1
+ 1 − e−n − e
=
2(e − 1)