Let a,b,c be nonzero complex numbers of the same modulus for which the numbers A=a+b+c and B=abc are real. Prove that, for any nonnegative integer number n, the number Cn=an+bn+cn is real.
Solution
Let α,β,γ be the reduced arguments of the complex numbers a,b,c. Since abc∈R, it follows that sin(α+β+γ)=0, i.e., α+β+γ=kπ, where k∈Z. Therefore, we can write γ=kπ−α−β for some integer k. Furthermore, from a+b+c∈R we have sinα+sinβ+sinγ=0, thus sinα+sinβ=−sinγ=−sin(kπ−α−β), leading to ∣sinα+sinβ∣=∣sin(α+β)∣, which is equivalent to: sin2α+βcos2α−β=sin2α+βcos2α+β. If sin2α+β=0, then there is an integer q such that 2α+β=qπ, and γ=(k−2q)π, hence sinγ=0, which leads to c∈R. If sin2α+β=0, then ∣cos2α+β∣=∣cos2α−β∣, from which we have cos22α+β=cos22α−β, thus cos(α+β)=cos(α−β), leading to sinαsinβ=0, i.e., at least one of the numbers a or b is real. Therefore, at least one of the numbers a,b, or c is real. Let this number be a. From the hypothesis, we obtain that b+c∈R, and since a is nonzero, we also have bc∈R. If b is real, then c will also be real, so Cn is real for any n∈N. If b∈C∖R, then b and c are the roots of a quadratic equation with real coefficients, thus b=cˉ. Consequently, Cn=an+bn+cn=an+bn+bˉn=an+bn+cˉn∈R.
Alternative solution. Let ∣a∣=∣b∣=∣c∣=r>0. For a complex number z with modulus r>0, we have zˉ=zr2. Since A is a real number, we obtain: a+b+c=aˉ+bˉ+cˉ=ar2+br2+cr2=r2⋅abcab+bc+ca∈R, which implies ab+bc+ca∈R. For n=0 we have C0=3, and for n=1 we have C1=A∈R. Also, for n=2 we have C2=A2−2(ab+bc+ca)∈R. For n≥2, we have: Cn+1=A⋅Cn−(ab+bc+ca)⋅Cn−1+B⋅Cn−2. By induction, it now follows that Cn∈R for any n∈N.
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