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Algebra Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it China

Assume that α2005+β2005\alpha^{2005} + \beta^{2005} can be expressed as a polynomial in α+β\alpha + \beta and αβ\alpha\beta. Find the sum of the coefficients of the polynomial. (posed by Zhu Huawei)

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

In the expansion of αk+βk\alpha^k + \beta^k, let α+β=1\alpha + \beta = 1 and αβ=1\alpha\beta = 1. We get the sum of coefficients Sk=αk+βkS_k = \alpha^k + \beta^k. Since

(α+β)(αk1+βk1)=(αk+βk)+αβ(αk2+βk2),(\alpha + \beta)(\alpha^{k-1} + \beta^{k-1}) = (\alpha^k + \beta^k) + \alpha\beta(\alpha^{k-2} + \beta^{k-2}),

we get
Sk=Sk1Sk2S_k = S_{k-1} - S_{k-2}.
Thus Sk=Sk6S_k = S_{k-6} and {Sk}\{S_k\} is a periodic sequence with period 6 and
S2005=S1=1S_{2005} = S_1 = 1.

Solution 2

Set α+β=1\alpha + \beta = 1 and αβ=1\alpha\beta = 1 in the expansion of αk+βk\alpha^k + \beta^k. The sum of the coefficients is Sk=αk+βkS_k = \alpha^k + \beta^k. Since α,β\alpha, \beta are solutions of the equation x2x+1=0x^2 - x + 1 = 0, α=cosπ3+isinπ3\alpha = \cos \frac{\pi}{3} + i \sin \frac{\pi}{3}, β=cosπ3isinπ3\beta = \cos \frac{\pi}{3} - i \sin \frac{\pi}{3}. Therefore

αk+βk=(cosπ3+isinπ3)k+(cosπ3isinπ3)k=(coskπ3+isinkπ3)+(coskπ3isinkπ3)=2coskπ3. \begin{align*} \alpha^k + \beta^k &= \left(\cos \frac{\pi}{3} + i \sin \frac{\pi}{3}\right)^k + \left(\cos \frac{\pi}{3} - i \sin \frac{\pi}{3}\right)^k \\ &= \left(\cos \frac{k\pi}{3} + i \sin \frac{k\pi}{3}\right) + \left(\cos \frac{k\pi}{3} - i \sin \frac{k\pi}{3}\right) \\ &= 2\cos \frac{k\pi}{3}. \end{align*}

Let k=2005k = 2005, we have Sk=1S_k = 1.

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