Determine the indicated roots of the complex number

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the indicated roots of a complex number expressed in polar form. The original poster presents a complex number and seeks assistance in determining its roots, specifically after simplifying it using trigonometric identities.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of De Moivre's formula and the implications of the roots derived from the polar representation. Questions arise regarding the original problem's requirements, including how many roots are needed and the nature of the roots based on the polynomial's coefficients.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with various interpretations of the number of roots and their characteristics being explored. Some participants provide insights into the relationships between the roots, while others express uncertainty about the original problem's clarity and requirements.

Contextual Notes

There is ambiguity regarding the original problem's specifics, including the number of roots to be found and the nature of the polynomial involved. This uncertainty influences the discussion and the reasoning presented by participants.

paraboloid
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
[2(cos(pi/3)+isin(pi/3))]1/2

I simplified it to 21/2(cos(pi/6)+isin(pi/6)), but I have no idea what else to go to.

Any tips would be very helpful,
thx in advance
 
Physics news on Phys.org
what was the original problem? how many roots you need to find?

apart from that, you have the answer:
cos(pi/6)=sqrt(3)/2 ; sin(pi/6)=1/2

r = sqrt(2)*sqrt(3)/2 +/- i*(1/2)

that's two roots how many do you need?
 
Use De Moivre's formula. In general to get other roots you can add multiples of 2*pi to the angle.
 
gomunkul51 said:
what was the original problem? how many roots you need to find?

apart from that, you have the answer:
cos(pi/6)=sqrt(3)/2 ; sin(pi/6)=1/2

r = sqrt(2)*sqrt(3)/2 +/- i*(1/2)

that's two roots how many do you need?

The answer in the back is actually +/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2). The text doesn't specify how many roots to find, but it looks like two roots.

Dick said:
Use De Moivre's formula. In general to get other roots you can add multiples of 2*pi to the angle.
8ab037a0d3f321422e977ca0312f54e6.png

I believe I've converted it to the latter form(k = 0), but I'm still unsure what more I need to do to get the roots.
 
The other root is k=1. It's the negative of the first root. Since e^(i*pi)=(-1). k=2 just gives you a copy of the first root. Since e^(i*2*pi)=1.
 
sqrt(2)*sqrt(3)/2 +/- i*(1/2) <-- this is almost the same as:
+/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2)

but I must say that every complex root comes in pairs! --> r=a +/- b*i
(a,b in Reals)

so if you say the answer is "+/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2)" then it must be:
+/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2) & +/-(sqrt 3 - i) / sqrt(2)

so you get 4 roots...

@Dick: I think he already used De Moiver's formula when he took the root and turned it into a multiplier of one-half and multiplied the term inside the cos and sin

@paraboloid if you don't know what you need to do, just read you course book or ask your Lecturer or TA.
"It's irrelevant being precise when you don't know what's going on" ! :)
 
gomunkul51 said:
sqrt(2)*sqrt(3)/2 +/- i*(1/2) <-- this is almost the same as:
+/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2)

but I must say that every complex root comes in pairs! --> r=a +/- b*i
(a,b in Reals)

so if you say the answer is "+/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2)" then it must be:
+/-(sqrt 3 + i) / sqrt(2) & +/-(sqrt 3 - i) / sqrt(2)

so you get 4 roots...

@Dick: I think he already used De Moiver's formula when he took the root and turned it into a multiplier of one-half and multiplied the term inside the cos and sin

@paraboloid if you don't know what you need to do, just read you course book or ask your Lecturer or TA.
"It's irrelevant being precise when you don't know what's going on" ! :)

There are only two roots. If you square the conjugates, you don't get the given number. You get it's conjugate.
 
Dick said:
There are only two roots. If you square the conjugates, you don't get the given number. You get it's conjugate.

I see why you may be right, but again the question wasn't clear and I tried to give the general direction :)
 
gomunkul51 said:
but I must say that every complex root comes in pairs! --> r=a +/- b*i
(a,b in Reals)
That's only true if the coefficients of the polynomial are real. In this problem, you're trying to find the roots of

[tex]z^2 - (1+i\sqrt{3}) = 0[/tex]

which doesn't satisfy that criterion.
 
  • #10
Thanks everyone for your input. Much appreciated.
 
  • #11
vela said:
That's only true if the coefficients of the polynomial are real. In this problem, you're trying to find the roots of

[tex]z^2 - (1+i\sqrt{3}) = 0[/tex]

which doesn't satisfy that criterion.

What you are saying is right, but not in this context.
In this problem we DO NOT see the polynomial itself, but the POLAR representation of a complex number. so, as I said the number of roots depends on the original problem.
since we don't see the original polynomial a thus don't know the number of NEEDED roots !

Good luck.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
1K