Complex numbers polynomial divisibility proof

U.Renko
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I'm not sure whether this should go in this forum or another. feel free to move it if needed

Homework Statement


Suppose that [itex]z_0 \in \mathbb{C}.[/itex] A polynomial [itex]P(z)[/itex] is said to be dvisible by [itex]z-z_0[/itex] if there is another polynomial [itex]Q(z)[/itex] such that [itex]P(z)=(z-z_0)Q(z).[/itex]
Show that for every [itex]c \in\mathbb{C}[/itex] and [itex]k \in\mathbb{N}[/itex], the polynomial [itex]c(z^k - z_0^k )[/itex] is divisible by [itex]z - z_0[/itex]

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



This is just the part a of the problem.
I haven't tried the other parts yet, because I am not sure if my approach was correct.
well here it is:

basically I interpreted the problem as: find [itex]Q(z)[/itex] such that [itex]P(z) = (z-z_0)Q(z)[/itex] and [itex]P(z) = c(z^k - z_0^k )[/itex]

then [itex]Q(z) = \Large\frac{P(z)}{z-z_0)} = \Large c\frac{(z^k - z_0^k)}{z-z_0}[/itex]
then using complex division (AKA multiply by the conjugate):
[itex]Q(z) = \Large c\frac{z^k(z+z_0) }{z^2 + z_0^2} -\Large c\frac{z_0^k(z+z_0) }{z^2 +z_0^2}[/itex]

[itex]Q(z) = \Large\frac{cz^{k+1} +cz^kz_0}{z^2 +z_0^2} - \Large\frac{cz_0^kz+cz_0^{k+1}}{z^2+z_0^2}[/itex]

and then: [itex]Q(z) = \Large\frac{c}{(z^2 +z_0^2)}\normalsize(z^{k+1} + z^kz_0 -z_0^kz - z_0^{k+1})[/itex] which is a polynomial.

So: there exists a polynomial satisfying the required conditions and therefore [itex]P(z)[/itex] is divisible by [itex]z-z_0[/itex]


it looks okay but I'm not 100% confident on this...
 
on Phys.org
U.Renko said:
I'm not sure whether this should go in this forum or another. feel free to move it if needed

Homework Statement


Suppose that [itex]z_0 \in \mathbb{C}.[/itex] A polynomial [itex]P(z)[/itex] is said to be dvisible by [itex]z-z_0[/itex] if there is another polynomial [itex]Q(z)[/itex] such that [itex]P(z)=(z-z_0)Q(z).[/itex]
Show that for every [itex]c \in\mathbb{C}[/itex] and [itex]k \in\mathbb{N}[/itex], the polynomial [itex]c(z^k - z_0^k )[/itex] is divisible by [itex]z - z_0[/itex]

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



This is just the part a of the problem.
I haven't tried the other parts yet, because I am not sure if my approach was correct.
well here it is:

basically I interpreted the problem as: find [itex]Q(z)[/itex] such that [itex]P(z) = (z-z_0)Q(z)[/itex] and [itex]P(z) = c(z^k - z_0^k )[/itex]

then [itex]Q(z) = \Large\frac{P(z)}{z-z_0)} = \Large c\frac{(z^k - z_0^k)}{z-z_0}[/itex]
then using complex division (AKA multiply by the conjugate):
[itex]Q(z) = \Large c\frac{z^k(z+z_0) }{z^2 + z_0^2} -\Large c\frac{z_0^k(z+z_0) }{z^2 +z_0^2}[/itex]

[itex]Q(z) = \Large\frac{cz^{k+1} +cz^kz_0}{z^2 +z_0^2} - \Large\frac{cz_0^kz+cz_0^{k+1}}{z^2+z_0^2}[/itex]

and then: [itex]Q(z) = \Large\frac{c}{(z^2 +z_0^2)}\normalsize(z^{k+1} + z^kz_0 -z_0^kz - z_0^{k+1})[/itex] which is a polynomial.
I think you will need to give an argument that this is a polynomial!

So: there exists a polynomial satisfying the required conditions and therefore [itex]P(z)[/itex] is divisible by [itex]z-z_0[/itex]


it looks okay but I'm not 100% confident on this...
 
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Well...
now that you mention it I'm not quite sure I have an argument for that...
 

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