Mastering Mathematics Smartly

www.freewebs.com/weews

Question
(i)

(ii)

Show that, for any complex number ei ,

ei
=
ei 1

1 i cot .
2
2

Write down the roots of the equation z 5 1 = 0 , leaving your answers in the form
ei where r > 0 and < .

(iii) Hence, solve w5 = ( w 1) , leaving your answers in the form x + iy where

5

x, y .

Solution
(i)

ei 1

ei 1

i
e 2

[ Multiply top and bottom by

i
e 2

an expression involving
i

i
e 2

, since we want to obtain

. This is a good technique to use. ]

e2
i
e2

i
e 2

cos

+ i sin

2i sin

2 [ It is useful to remember that e 2 e

i
2

= 2i sin

and

2
that

i
e2

i
+e 2

= 2 cos . ]
2

cot

1
2 i + 1 [ Simplify, especially the first term. ]
=

2 i
i

= 1 i cot (shown)
2
2
(ii)

z5 = 1 z = e

2 k
i
5 ,

k = 0, 1, 2 [ Complex roots occur in conjugate pairs. ]

5

w
(iii) w = ( w 1)
= 1 [ Write it in a form like that of (ii). ]
w 1
w 1 [ Exclude any solution that will not satisfy the equation. ]
5

Mastering Mathematics Smartly

www.freewebs.com/weews
w
Using (ii),
=e
w 1
2 k
i
we 5

2 k
i
5 ,k

= 1, 2 [ k = 0 gives w = 1 , so it is excluded. ]

2 k
i
e 5

w=
[ We want to make w the subject on the LHS. ]
2
k

2
k

i
i
w e 5 1 = e 5 [ Rearrange and factorise the LHS. ]

w=

2 k
i
e 5
2 k
i
e 5

[ Observe that the form looks like that of (i). ]

1
k
Using (i), w = 1 i cot
, k = 1, 2
2
5
1
1
w = 0.688i, 0.162i [ Express the imaginary parts to 3 significant figures. ]
2
2