Proving |z|<1 and n is a positive integer: Complex Analysis Proof

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Homework Statement


Given |z|<1 and n a positive integer prove that
<br /> \left|\frac{1-z^n}{1-z}\right|\le n<br />

The Attempt at a Solution


I try to find the maximum of the function by differentiation

<br /> \frac{d}{dz}\frac{1-z^n}{1-z}=\frac{-nz^{n-1}*(1-z)+(1-z^n)}{(1-z)^2}=0\Rightarrow (1-z^n)=nz^{n-1}*(1-z)<br />

I then plug this in

<br /> \left|\frac{nz^{n-1}*(1-z)}{1-z}\right|=n\left|z^{n-1}\right|\le n<br />

I guess this works. Does someone have another way to prove it?
 
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Divide the expression inside absolute values and see what you have - use the bound on |z|.
 
Ah that is clever

<br /> \left|\frac{1-z^n}{1-z}\right|=\left|\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}z^k\right|\le \sum_{k=0}^{n-1}|z|^k\le n<br />
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
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