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FM June 2021 p12 q03
4262
The equation \(x^4 - 2x^3 - 1 = 0\) has roots \(\alpha, \beta, \gamma, \delta\).
(a) Find a quartic equation whose roots are \(\alpha^3, \beta^3, \gamma^3, \delta^3\) and state the value of \(\alpha^3 + \beta^3 + \gamma^3 + \delta^3\).
(b) Find the value of \(\frac{1}{\alpha^3} + \frac{1}{\beta^3} + \frac{1}{\gamma^3} + \frac{1}{\delta^3}\).
(c) Find the value of \(\alpha^4 + \beta^4 + \gamma^4 + \delta^4\).
Solution
(a) Let \(y = x^3\). Then \(y^{4/3} - 2y^{1/3} - 1 = 0\). Substitute \(y = x^3\) into the equation to get \(y^4 - 8y^3 - 12y^2 - 6y - 1 = 0\). The value of \(\alpha^3 + \beta^3 + \gamma^3 + \delta^3\) is 8.
(b) The expression \(\frac{1}{\alpha^3} + \frac{1}{\beta^3} + \frac{1}{\gamma^3} + \frac{1}{\delta^3}\) can be rewritten using the identity \(\frac{\alpha^3 \beta^3 \gamma^3 \delta^3 + \alpha^3 \beta^3 \gamma^3 + \beta^3 \gamma^3 \delta^3 + \alpha^3 \gamma^3 \delta^3 + \alpha^3 \beta^3 \delta^3}{\alpha^3 \beta^3 \gamma^3 \delta^3} = \frac{6}{-1} = -6\).
(c) Using the original equation, \(\alpha^4 + \beta^4 + \gamma^4 + \delta^4 = 2(\alpha^3 + \beta^3 + \gamma^3 + \delta^3) + 4 = 2(8) + 4 = 20\).