GeometryDifficulty 4.1AIMEFind the answerUnited States
Problem:
The roots of z6+z4+z2+1=0 are the vertices of a convex polygon in the complex plane. Find the sum of the squares of the side lengths of the polygon.
Answer: 12−42
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
Solution:
Factoring the polynomial as (z4+1)(z2+1)=0, we find that the 6 roots are e±iπ/4, e±iπ/2, e±i3π/4. The calculation then follows from the Law of Cosines or the distance formula.
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Source: MathNet,
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