CLASSIFIED TEN-YEAR SERIES QUESTIONS TOPIC: THEORY OF EQUATIONS

Topic: Theory of Equations 1 1 1 1

1(a) The roots of the equation 2x3 - x2 - 10x - 6 = 0 are p, q, r. Find (ii) Express + + + in terms of r and s.
α β γ δ
p2+q2+r2.
(iii) Using the above results, or otherwise, express α3+β3+γ3+δ3 in terms
Given that 32p2 = 9(q2 + r2) and that p and q are both negative and that
of p, q and r.
r is positive, find the exact values of p, q, r.
(N94/I/1(b))
(b) The roots of the equation x4 - 3x2 + 5x - 2 = 0 are α, β, γ, δ and
αn+βn+γn+δn is denoted by Sn.
5. The roots of the equation x3 + px + q = 0 are α, β and γ. Use the
(i) By using the relation y=x2, or otherwise, show that α2, β2, γ2 and δ2
substitution x = y + λ to find the equation whose roots are α-λ, β-λ, γ-
are the roots of the equation
λ, expressing your answer in the form y3 + Ay2 + By + C = 0.
y4 - 6y3 + 5y2 - 13y + 4 = 0.
(ii) State the value of S2 and hence show that
Denote ( α-λ)k +(β-λ)k + (γ-λ)k by Tk, where k is a non-negative integer,
S8 = 6S6 - 5S4 + 62.
(N96/I/1) show that T2 = 3λ2-2p and find T3 in terms of p, q and λ.

Deduce that if g=α3+β3+γ3, then (α-g)3+(β-g)3+(γ-g)3=81q3-18pq-3q.

3 2 2x + 1
2. Given that x - 2x + x + 1 = 0 and that y = , show that (J94/I/2(a))
x +1
3y3 - 10y2 + 9y - 1 = 0. 6. The roots of the equation
Hence find the exact value of x4 - x3 + ax2 - x + b = 0 (a, b∈ R, b≠0)
n n n
 2α + 1   2β + 1   2γ + 1  are α, β, γ and δ.
  +   +   (i) Show that α2+β2+γ2+δ2 is independent of b.
 α +1   β +1   γ +1 
(ii) Show that if a > ½ then at most two of α, β, γ and δ are real.
for n=2 and for n=3, where α, β and γ are the roots of the given
(iii) By considering αβγδ, or otherwise, show that if a > ½ and b < 0
equation in x.
then exactly two of α,β,γ and δ are real.
(N95/I/2(a))
(N93/I/2(a))
3. Let α, β, γ be the roots of the cubic equation
7. The roots of the equation
x3 + 4x - 18 + λ(x2 + x + 1 ) = 0
x3 + px + q = 0 (q ≠ 0)
where λ∈R. Also let Sn = αn + βn + γn, where n is a positive integer.
are α, β and γ.
(i) Find S1 and S2 in terms of λ.
(i) Show that
(ii) Deduce that if -2 < λ < 4 then the cubic equation has exactly one
αn+3 + pαn+1 + qαn = 0 (n∈Z)
real root.
and write down similar equations involving β and γ.
(iii) Show that S3 = -λ3 + 3λ2 + 9λ + 54.
(ii) Deduce that
(iv) Deduce that if λ<6, then S3 > 0.
Sn+3 + pSn+1 + qSn = 0,
(J95/I/2)
where Sn = αn + βn + γn.
(iii) Hence show that S3 = -3q, and find S5 in terms of p and q.
4. The roots of the equation
(J93/I/2(a))
x4 + px3 + qx2 + rx + s = 0,
where p, q, r and s are constants and s ≠ 0, are α, β, γ and δ.
8. Given that x4 - ax + 1 = 0, where a is a positive constant, and that
(i) Express p2+q2+r2+s2 in terms of p and q. 1
−
x= y 4, show that

1
CLASSIFIED TEN-YEAR SERIES QUESTIONS TOPIC: THEORY OF EQUATIONS

y 4 + (4 − a 4 ) y 3 + 6 y 2 + 4 y + 1 = 0 . where α, β and γ are the roots of the cubic equation in x.

(J89/I/1(a))
Hence find α −8 + β −8 + γ −8 + δ −8 in terms of a, where α, β, γ and δ
are the roots of x4 - ax + 1 = 0. 14. For the equation x4 + 2x3 + 3x2 + 5x + 1 = 0,
Deduce that if α −8 + β −8 + γ −8 + δ −8 <1, then (i) obtain the sum of squares of the roots of the equation;
(ii) show that the equation has two negative roots, α and β, such that -
1 1
2<α<β<0;
(4 − 13 ) 4 < a < (4 + 13 ) 4 .
(iii) deduce from (i) and (ii), or prove otherwise, that the equation has
(J92/I/2(a)) no other real roots;
(iv) show that γ and δ, the complex roots of the equation, satisfy |γ| = |δ|
9. The cubic equation x3 + ax2 + bx + c = 0 has roots α, β and γ. Given = 1/√(αβ).
that α + β + γ = −2, α 2 + β 2 + γ 2 = 8 and α 3 + β 3 + γ 3 = 13, find the (D88/I/1)
values of a, b and c.
15. Given that α, β and γ are the roots of the equation x3 + 3x - 1 = 0, find
Hence or otherwise find the value of α 4 + β 4 + γ 4 .
the exact value of α3 + β3 + γ3.
(D91/I/2(a)) (J88/I/1(a))

10. The roots of the equation x3 - 3x2 - 4x - 1 = 0 are α, β and γ. Find the 16. Show, by considering the relation y = (1+x)-1 between x and y, or
exact values of α2+β2+γ2 and α3+β3+γ3. otherwise, that if α, β, γ and δ are the roots of the equation x4-2x-1=0,
(D90/I/1(a)) then (1+α)-1, (1+β)-1, (1+γ)-1 and (1+δ)-1 are the roots of the equation

11. Given that α, β and γ are the roots of the equation x3 - 2x - 5 = 0, find a 2 y 4 − 6 y 3 + 6 y 2 − 4 y + 1 = 0.
cubic equation which has roots α3, β3 and γ3. Hence find the exact value of (1+α)-2 + (1+β)-2 + (1+γ)-2 + (1+δ)-2.
Hence or otherwise find the values of α3+β3+γ3 and α6+β6+γ6. (D87/I/1(b))
(J90/I/2(a))
17. The roots of the equation x3 - 4x - 1 = 0 are α, β and γ. Find the exact
12. The cubic equation x3 + px + q = 0, where q ≠ 0, has roots α, β and γ. value of α2+β2+γ2 and α4+β4+γ4.
q (J87/I/1(a))
By putting y = − , or otherwise, show that the cubic equation
x
18. Given that α, β and γ are the roots of the cubic equation x3+x2-2x-5=0,
y3 - py2 - q2=0 has roots βγ, γα and αβ.
find the exact values of (i) α2+β2+γ2 and (ii) α3+β3+γ3.
Show that β 2 γ 2 + γ 2 α 2 + α 2 β 2 = p 2 . (D86/I/1(b))
(D89/I/1(b))
x 19(a) Solve the equation x3 + x2 - 19x + 5 = 0, given that the product of two of
13. Given that x3 + x2 + 2x - 2 = 0 and that y = , show that its roots is equal to 1.
x+2
(b) The roots of the equation x4 - 6x3 + 5x2- 6x + 4=0 are α, β, γ and δ. By
4 y 3 + 2 y 2 (1 − y ) + 2 y (1 − y ) 2 − (1 − y ) 3 = 0. using the substitution x =√y, or otherwise, show that the equation
Hence find the exact value of having roots α2, β2, γ2 and δ2 is y4 - 26y3 - 39y2 + 4y + 16 = 0.
2 2 2 Hence or otherwise, find the exact value of α4 + β4 + γ4 + δ4.
 α   β   γ 
  +   +   (J86/I/1)
α+2 β+2 γ+2