Theory of equations

1.

Determine the number of real roots of the following equations by first finding the zeros of the derived
polynomial, and locate them between consecutive integers.

2.

3.

(a)

x 4 + 4 x 2 8x 3 1 = 0

(b)

8x 5 5x 4 40x 3 50 = 0

Determine the number of real roots of the following equations and locate each between consecutive integers.
(a)

x 4 + 2x 2 + 3x 1 = 0

(b)

x 5 2x 3 + x 10 = 0

, , are the roots of the equation

( ) , ( ) , ( ) , is
2

x3 px + q = 0 .

Show that the equation whose roots are

x 6px + 9p x + 27q 4p 3 = 0 .

Hence determine the condition

that the roots of the first equation should be real .

4.

Find the range of values of

for which the equation x2 3x + 4 = (1 + 2x) has real roots.

Illustrate your results by drawing the graphs of

of

and

y = (1 + 2x)

for different value

For what values of

5.

y = x2 3x + 4

x is

3 + 6x

greater than

(x2 3x + 4) ?

By means of a graph, or otherwise, determine the values of

(x 1)2 ( x a) + t = 0 has three real roots, where

for which the equation

a is a given constant greater than 1 .

Prove that, whatever the values of a, t , the roots , ,

are connected by the relation

+ + - 2( + + ) + 3 = 0 .
6.

Prove that the equation

7.

(a)

The coefficients of the polynomial

Show that if

(b)

ax2 + bx + c = 0 has no rational root if a, b, c are odd integers.

p, q

Show that if

P(x ) a 0 x n + a 1 x n 1 + ... + a n 1 x + a n

are both even (or odd) integers, then

P(0)

and

P(1)

are integers.

P(p) P(q)

is even .

are both odd integers, the equation

P(x) = 0

has no integral

roots.

8.

If

a, b, c, A, B, C are rational and if the equation

2

prove that A + B + C

a0 , a1 , , an

are rational, prove that

remainder on dividing

has an irrational root ,

is rational if and only if Ab = Ba .

Obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for

If

ax2 + bx + c = 0

A3 + B2 +C

to be rational .

a 0 x n + a 1 x n 1 + ... + a n 1 x + a n is rational if and only if the

a 0 x n + a 1 x n 1 + ... + a n 1 x + a n

by

ax2 + bx + c is independent of x .

9.

x3 px + q

Show by a calculus method that

will have one maximum and one minimum value if

If this condition is satisfied find the maximum and minimum values of the expression.
that the maximum value should be positive and the minimum value negative.
equation

x3 px + q = 0 has three real roots if

p>0.

Find the condition

Hence show that the cubic

4p 3 27q 2 , and only one real root if 4p3 < 27q2 .

State how many roots the following equations have :

10.

(a)

x3 2x + 7 = 0

(b)

3x3 + 4x 2 = 0

(c)

4x3 7x + 3 = 0 .

(a)

Transform the cubic equation

(b)

Show that by putting x = y + z , the equation x3 15x = 126 , becomes

x3 + Px2 + Qx + R = 0 into another equation lacking x2

term .

y3 + z3 + (3yz 15)x = 126 .

If further we choose
2

t 126r + 125 = 0 .

If

admissible pairs are

y0 , 2 z0 , where

the equation

11.

(a)

If

and q .

y0 , z0

If

are the roots of the equation

are one admissible pair of values of

, 2

y, z , show that the other

are the complex cube roots of unity.

Hence solve

x 15x = 126 .

are the roots of the equation

x2 + px + q = 0 , express

(3 )(3 )

in terms of

Hence or otherwise, show that if one of the roots of the equation x + px + q = 0 is equal

to the cube of the other, then

(b)

y3 , z3

3yz 15 = 0 , show that

(p2 2q)2 = q(q + 1)2

are the roots of the equation

and t + .

If

p,q

and conversely .

x2 + px + q = 0 , find the equation whose roots are t +

are real and p2 4q < 0 , p 0 , show that, for all real values of

t , the

roots of the new equation are different from zero .

12.

(a)

Find the values of

(b)

The equation

p,q

so that p2

x2 + bx + c = 0

and

has the roots

are the roots of x2 + bx + q = 0 .

, . Find the equation whose roots are

1
1
,
. Solve the equation obtained when b = 1
1 + 2 1 + 2

13.

Let b, c be real numbers.

The cubic equation

and c = -1 .

x3 + 3x2 + bx + c = 0

has three distinct real roots

which are in geometric progression . Show that there are unique values b and c such that the roots
of this equation are integers, and find its equation and its roots.

14.

Find the necessary and sufficient conditions on the coefficients of

x4 + a3 x3 + a2x2 + a1x + a0 = 0 which

ensure that whenever z is a root so is 1/z .

Hence show that the roots of a quartic equation of this type may be formed by solving several appropriate
quadratic equations .
2

15.

The quartic equation x4 s1x3 + s2x2 s3x + s4 = 0 has roots , , , . Find the cubic equation with
roots

+ ,

+ , + .

Supposing that methods of solving quadratic and cubic equation

are known, describe a procedure for solving quartic equation .

16.

(a)

Prove by induction on k that xk + x-k can be expressed as a polynomial pk(z) in z = x + x-1 .

Determine p2(z)

(b)

and p3(z) .

If is a root of the polynomial equation

show that

+ 1

x 6 + ax 5 + bx 4 + cx 3 + bx 2 + ax + 1 = 0 ,

is a root of the polynomial equation

z + az + (b 3)z + (c 2a ) = 0
3

(c)
17.

Determine all roots of

The cubic equation

x 4 + 4 x 3 + 5x 2 + 4 x + 1 = 0 .

x3 + 3qx + r = 0

Verify that the sextic equation

(r 0)

has roots , , .

r 2 x 2 + x + 1 + 27q 3 x 2 (x + 1) = 0
3

is satisfied by

Comment on this result in relation to the roots of the cubic in the cases

18.

(a)

q=0

(b)

4q 3 + r 2 = 0 .

(a)

State, without proof, the A.M. G.M. inequality.

(b)

The equation
Writing

and

f (x ) x n + a 1 x n 1 + a 2 x n 2 + ... + a n 1 x + a n = 0

in i
a i = ( 1) b i , prove that
i

By considering f '(x) , prove that

has n distinct positive roots.

bn-1 > bn .

b1 > b 2 > ... > b n 1 > b n .