Relation between roots

and coefficient of
Polynomial equation.

Kirit Vaniya
Department of Mathematics
M. G. Science Insitute
 For polynomial of power 2
• Let 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 is a polynomial equation of degree 2
• Let 𝛼 & 𝛽 are roots of given polynomial.
• Hence 𝛼 & 𝛽 satisfies the polynomial equation
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 … … … 𝑒𝑞. (1)
Since the equation whose roots are 𝛼 & 𝛽 is given by
𝑥−𝛼 𝑥−𝛽 =0
⇒ 𝑥 − 𝛼 + 𝛽 𝑥 + 𝛼𝛽 = 0 … … . 𝑒𝑞. (2)
• From equation 1 we have,
𝑏 𝑐
𝑥 + 𝑥 + =0 … … … 𝑒𝑞. (3)
𝑎 𝑎
Comparing eq.2 and 3 we get following relations.
𝑏 𝑐
𝛼+𝛽 =− & 𝛼𝛽 = … 𝑒𝑞. (𝐼)
𝑎 𝑎
 For polynomial of power 3
• Let 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑 is a polynomial equation of degree 3
• Let 𝛼, 𝛽 & 𝛾 are roots of given polynomial.
• Hence 𝛼 & 𝛽 satisfies the polynomial equation
𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑 = 0 … … … 𝑒𝑞. (1)
Since the equation whose roots are 𝛼, 𝛽 & 𝛾 is given by
𝑥−𝛼 𝑥−𝛽 𝑥−𝛾 =0
⇒ 𝑥 − 𝛼 + 𝛽 + 𝛾 𝑥 + 𝛼𝛽 + 𝛽𝛾 + 𝛾𝛼 𝑥 − (𝛼𝛽𝛾) = 0 . 𝑒𝑞. (2)
• From equation 1 we have,
𝑏 𝑐 𝑑
𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑥+ =0 … … … 𝑒𝑞. (3)
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
Comparing eq.2 and 3 we get following relations.
𝑏 𝑐 𝑑
𝛼+𝛽+𝛾 =− , 𝛼𝛽 + 𝛽𝛾 + 𝛾𝛼 = , 𝛼𝛽𝛾 = − … 𝑒𝑞. (𝐼)
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎
 For polynomial of power 4
• Do the same procedure and derive the relations.

𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑒 = 0
𝑖𝑓 𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 & 𝛿 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠.
𝑏
𝛼+𝛽+𝛾+𝛿 =−
𝑎
𝑐
𝛼𝛽 + 𝛽𝛾 + 𝛾𝛿 + 𝛿𝛼 + 𝛽𝛿 + 𝛼𝛾 =
𝑎
𝑑
𝛼𝛽𝛾 + 𝛽𝛾𝛿 + 𝛾𝛿𝛼 = −
𝑎
𝑒
𝛼𝛽𝛾𝛿 =
𝑎
Example-1: if sum of two roots of the equation

is zero then solve the equation.

Solution-1:
Let 𝛼, 𝛽 & 𝛾 are roots of given polynomial equation,
Also let 𝛼 + 𝛽 = 0 ….(1)
We know that the relation between the roots and coefficient of
polynomial of degree 3 are given as follows.
𝑏
𝛼+𝛽+𝛾 =− = −4 … (2)
𝑎
𝑐
𝛼𝛽 + 𝛽𝛾 + 𝛾𝛼 = = −9 … (3)
𝑎
𝑑
𝛼𝛽𝛾 = − = 36 … (4)
𝑎
Solution-1:
We have following equations.
𝛼+𝛽 =0 … (1)
𝛼 + 𝛽 + 𝛾 = −4 … (2)
𝛼𝛽 + 𝛽𝛾 + 𝛾𝛼 = −9 … (3)
𝛼𝛽𝛾 = 36 … (4)
Using equations 1 and 2 we get,
0 + 𝛾 = 𝛾 = −4 … 5
Also from equation 1 we get 𝛼 = −𝛽 … 6
Using equation 5, 6 in 4 we get following
−𝛽 𝛽 −4 = 36
⇒𝛽 =9
⇒ 𝛽 = ±3 … 7
Hence using equation 6 we get
𝛼 = ∓3 … 8
Hence the required three roots are3, −3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 4
𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 = −3,3,4 𝑜𝑟 3, −3,4
Example-2: if ratio of two roots of the equation

is 1/2 then solve the equation.

Solution-2:
required three roots are 3/2 , 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 1/2
3 1
𝛼, 𝛽, 𝛾 = ,3 ,−
2 2
Example-3: if are roots of equation

then find the equation whose roots are,

Solution-3:

Taking 𝑦 = and substituting in above equation value of 𝑥 we

get required result.

Solution is 2𝑦 − 8𝑦 + 9𝑦 − 2 = 0
Example-4: if are roots of equation

then find the equation whose roots are

Solution:
(𝑖) hint : convert 𝛼 𝛽 + 𝛾 in only one variable 𝛼 and call it 𝑦 and
take 𝛼 = 𝑥 substitute this relation of 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 in equation.
𝑦 + 24𝑦 + 144𝑦 + 256 = 0 is required solution.
(𝑖𝑖) hint : same as in last but use of main equation in deriving the
relation in single power.
48 48
− 12 + 16 = 0
𝑦 − 12 𝑦 − 12
Example-5: if roots of the equation

are in harmonic progression then solve the equation.

Solution:
Hints:
First , , are roots of given equation.
Do reciprocals and find the equation whose roots are
𝛼−𝑑 , 𝛼 , 𝛼+𝑑
1 1
,2 & −
3 2
Then solve using relations find 𝛼 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑 then substitute in
1 1 1
, ,
𝛼−𝑑 𝛼 𝛼+𝑑
Which are required roots. 3 , 1/2 , −2