For a nonnegative integer k, let f(k) be the number of ones in the base 3 representation of k. Find all complex numbers z such that k=0∑31010−1(−2)f(k)(z+k)2023=0.
A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.
Solution
The complex numbers z with this property are −231010−1 and −231010−1±491010−1i. We begin by noting that for n≥1, we have the following equality of polynomials in a parameter x: k=0∑3n−1(−2)f(k)xk=j=0∏n−1(x2⋅3j−2x3j+1). This is readily shown by induction on n, using the fact that for 0≤k≤3n−1−1, f(3n−1+k)=f(k)+1 and f(2⋅3n−1+k)=f(k). Now define a "shift" operator S on polynomials in z by S(p(z))=p(z+1); then we can define Sm for all m∈Z by Sm(p(z)), and in particular S0=I is the identity map. Write pn(z):=k=0∑3n−1(−2)f(k)(z+k)2n+3 for n≥1; it follows that pn(z)=j=0∏n−1(S2⋅3j−2S3j+I)z2n+3=S(3n−1)/2j=0∏n−1(S3j−2I+S−3j)z2n+3. Next observe that for any ℓ, the operator Sℓ−2I+S−ℓ acts on polynomials in z in a way that decreases degree by 2. More precisely, for m≥0, we have (Sℓ−2I+S−ℓ)zm=(z+ℓ)m−2zm+(z−ℓ)m=2(2m)ℓ2zm−2+2(4m)ℓ4zm−4+O(zm−6). We use this general calculation to establish the following: for any 1≤i≤n, there is a nonzero constant Ci (depending on n and i but not z) such that j=1 i (S 3 n-j -2I+S -3 n-j ) z 2n+3 = C i (z 2n+3-2i + (2n+3-2i)(n+1-i) 6 ( j=1 i 9 n-j )z 2n+1-2i ) +O(z 2n-1-2i ). Proving eq:product is a straightforward induction on i: the induction step applies S3n−i−1−2I+S−3n−i−1 to the right hand side of eq:product , using the general formula for (Sℓ−2I+S−ℓ)zm. Now setting i=n in eq:product , we find that for some Cn, j=0∏n−1(S3j−2I+S−3j)z2n+3=Cn(z3+169n−1z). The roots of this polynomial are 0 and ±49n−1i, and it follows that the roots of pn(z) are these three numbers minus 23n−1. In particular, when n=1010, we find that the roots of p1010(z) are as indicated above.
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