# Thread: roots prove question..

1. ## roots prove question..

there is a polynomial p(z)
in which every coefficient are real.
there is a complex root called "a"

prove that the complement of "a"
is also a root

2. Originally Posted by transgalactic
there is a polynomial p(z)
in which every coefficient are real. There is a complex root called "a"
Prove that the complement of "a" is also a root
You mean conjugate not complement. You need to learn correct vocabulary.

The proof is easy. Notice that if $c\in\mathcal{R}$ then $\overline c = c$.

So if $P(x)= \sum\limits_{k = 0}^n {a_k x^k }$ such that $P(a)=0$ then show that $P\left( {\overline a } \right) = \overline {P(a)} = 0$

3. yes sorry conjugate.
if t is the root
$
P(t)= \sum\limits_{k = 0}^n {a_k {\overline t }^k }
$

why it has to be equal

$
\overline{P(t)}=\overline{ \sum\limits_{k = 0}^n {a_k { t }^k }}
$

4. Originally Posted by transgalactic
yes sorry conjugate.
if t is the root
$
P(t)= \sum\limits_{k = 0}^n {a_k {\overline t }^k }
$

why it has to be equal

$
\overline{P(t)}=\overline{ \sum\limits_{k = 0}^n {a_k { t }^k }}
$
By the definition of "complement" of a complex number.

If x= a+ bi, then $\overline{x}= a- bi$.

If particular, if x= a+ bi and y= c+ di, then x+ y= (a+ c)+ (b+ d)i so $\overline{x+ y}= (a+ c)- (b+d)i= (a- bi)+ (c- di)= \overline{x}+ \overline{y}$ and xy= (ac- bd)+ (ad+ bc)i so [tex]\overline(xy)= (ac-bd)- (ad+ bc)i= (a- bi)(c- di)= \overline{xy}[/itex].