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EEJ MAIN Mathematics QUESTION #6041
Question 1

If $\alpha$ and $\beta$ are the two roots of $x^2+2x+2=0$, find $\alpha^{15}+\beta^{15}$.

  • -256✔️
  • 512
  • -512
  • 256
Correct Answer Explanation

Roots: $x=\frac{-2\pm\sqrt{4-8}}{2}=-1\pm i$. So $\alpha=-1+i, \beta=-1-i$.

In polar form: $|\alpha|=\sqrt{2}$, $\arg(\alpha)=\frac{3\pi}{4}$. So $\alpha=\sqrt{2}\,e^{i3\pi/4}$.

$\alpha^{15}=(\sqrt{2})^{15}e^{i\cdot45\pi/4}=2^{15/2}e^{i\pi/4}$ (since $45\pi/4=11\pi+\pi/4$, so $e^{i45\pi/4}=e^{i\pi/4}\cdot(-1)^{11}=-e^{i\pi/4}$... careful: $45/4=11.25$, $11\pi+\pi/4$, $e^{i(11\pi+\pi/4)}=e^{i\pi}\cdot e^{i\pi/4} \cdot (-1)^{10}... $)

More cleanly: $\alpha^{15}+\beta^{15}=2\,\text{Re}(\alpha^{15})=2(\sqrt{2})^{15}\cos\!\left(\frac{45\pi}{4}\right)$. Since $\cos(45\pi/4)=\cos(\pi/4+11\pi)=-\cos(\pi/4)=-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}$: $=2\cdot2^{15/2}\cdot(-\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}})=-2^{15/2+1-1/2}=-2^8=-\mathbf{256}$