Efficiently Solving a System of Equations for Physics Problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frank Einstein
  • Start date Start date
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
5 replies · 2K views
Frank Einstein
Messages
166
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement



Hi everybody, I am trying to find the solution to this system of equations for a bigger physics problem:

h+k+l=2n+1 with n=0,1,2,3...
ei(π/2)(h+k+l)+ei(π/2)(3h+3k+l)+ei(π/2)(3h+k+3l)+ei(π/2)(h+3k+3l)=0

Homework Equations



None

The Attempt at a Solution



Ihave tried to solve it by taking the common factor ei(π/2) out and trying to solve
e(h+k+l)+e(3h+3k+l)+e(3h+k+3l)+e(h+3k+3l)=0 by using h+k+l=0; then, I arrive to 1+e2k+2h+e2h+2l+e2k+2l=0.

From here I don't know how to keep going, so if anybody could point me what to do next it wolud be very helpfull.

Thanks for reading.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
Frank Einstein said:

Homework Statement



Hi everybody, I am trying to find the solution to this system of equations for a bigger physics problem:

h+k+l=2n+1 with n=0,1,2,3...
ei(π/2)(h+k+l)+ei(π/2)(3h+3k+l)+ei(π/2)(3h+k+3l)+ei(π/2)(h+3k+3l)=0
To make these equal to zero, you need to enforce conditions on the periodic functions--both real and imaginary.
##\cos( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2} ) + \cos( \frac{ \pi(3h+3k+l)}{2} )+\cos( \frac{ \pi(3h+k+3l)}{2} )+\cos( \frac{ \pi(h+3k+3l)}{2} ) =0##
and
##\sin( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2} ) + \sin( \frac{ \pi(3h+3k+l)}{2} )+\sin( \frac{ \pi(3h+k+3l)}{2} )+\sin( \frac{ \pi(h+3k+3l)}{2} ) =0.##

From these, you should be able to say something about the cases where this must be true.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Frank Einstein
Think of these as :
##\cos( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2} ) + \cos( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2} +(h+k)\pi )+\cos( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2}+ (h+l)\pi )+\cos( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2}+(k+l)\pi ) =0##
and
##\sin( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2} ) + \sin( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2} +(h+k)\pi )+\sin( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2}+ (h+l)\pi )+\sin( \frac{ \pi(h+k+l)}{2}+(k+l)\pi ) =0.##
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Frank Einstein
Frank Einstein said:

Homework Statement



Hi everybody, I am trying to find the solution to this system of equations for a bigger physics problem:

h+k+l=2n+1 with n=0,1,2,3...
ei(π/2)(h+k+l)+ei(π/2)(3h+3k+l)+ei(π/2)(3h+k+3l)+ei(π/2)(h+3k+3l)=0

Homework Equations



None

The Attempt at a Solution



Ihave tried to solve it by taking the common factor ei(π/2) out and trying to solve
e(h+k+l)+e(3h+3k+l)+e(3h+k+3l)+e(h+3k+3l)=0 by using h+k+l=0; then, I arrive to 1+e2k+2h+e2h+2l+e2k+2l=0.

From here I don't know how to keep going, so if anybody could point me what to do next it wolud be very helpfull.

Thanks for reading.

Please do not use all bold fonts for your solution; it looks like you are yelling at us!
Mod note: Removed excess bold font

Anyway, if you let ##m = 2n + 1##, and if you note that ##h+k+l = m## implies
[tex]\frac{i \pi}{2} (3h+3k+l) = \frac{i \pi}{2} (3h + 3k + 3l - 2l) = \frac{i \pi}{2} 3m - i \pi l,[/tex]
and so forth, you get a much simpler problem, especially if you multiply through by ##e^{-3 m \pi i/2}##.

I would suggest you look at some of the initial cases ##m = 1, 3, 5, \ldots## separately, until you have gained sufficient insight into the nature of the solution for general odd ##m##.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Frank Einstein
Thank you very much for your anwsers, guess I will be able to proper solve it.