Polynomial Coefficients Triple
The polynomial $ x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x - 1 $ is a factor of $ x^9 + px^6 + qx^3 + r $. Enter the ordered triple $ (p,q,r) $.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- +
- 4
- 5
- 6
- -
- 7
- 8
- 9
- $\frac{a}{b}$
- .
- 0
- =
- %
- $a^n$
- $a^{\circ}$
- $a_n$
- $\sqrt{}$
- $\sqrt[n]{}$
- $\pi$
- $\ln{}$
- $\log$
- $\theta$
- $\sin{}$
- $\cos{}$
- $\tan{}$
- $($
- $)$
- $[$
- $]$
- $\cap$
- $\cup$
- $,$
- $\infty$
Solution
Let $ \alpha $ be a root of $ x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x - 1 = 0, $ so $ \alpha^3 = 3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1 $. Then
\[\alpha^4 = 3 \alpha^3 - 4 \alpha^2 + \alpha = 3 (3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1) - 4 \alpha^2 + \alpha = 5 \alpha^2 - 11 \alpha + 3.\]Hence,
\begin{align*}
\alpha^6 &= (3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1)^2 \\
&= 9 \alpha^4 - 24 \alpha^3 + 22 \alpha^2 - 8 \alpha + 1 \\
&= 9 (5 \alpha^2 - 11 \alpha + 3) - 24 (3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1) + 22 \alpha^2 - 8 \alpha + 1 \\
&= -5 \alpha^2 - 11 \alpha + 4,
\end{align*}and
\begin{align*}
\alpha^9 &= \alpha^3 \cdot \alpha^6 \\
&= (3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1)(-5 \alpha^2 - 11 \alpha + 4) \\
&= -15 \alpha^4 - 13 \alpha^3 + 51 \alpha^2 - 27 \alpha + 4 \\
&= -15 (5 \alpha^2 - 11 \alpha + 3) - 13 (3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1) + 51 \alpha^2 - 27 \alpha + 4 \\
&= -63 \alpha^2 + 190 \alpha - 54.\end{align*}Then
\begin{align*}
\alpha^9 + p \alpha^6 + q \alpha^3 + r &= (-63 \alpha^2 + 190 \alpha - 54) + p (-5 \alpha^2 - 11 \alpha + 4) + q (3 \alpha^2 - 4 \alpha + 1) + r \\
&= (-5p + 3q - 63) \alpha^2 + (-11p - 4q + 190) \alpha + (4p + q + r - 54).\end{align*}We want this to reduce to 0, so we set
\begin{align*}
-5p + 3q &= 63, \\
11p + 4q &= 190, \\
4p + q + r &= 54.\end{align*}Solving, we find $ (p,q,r) = \boxed{(6,31,-1)} $. For these values, $ \alpha^9 + p \alpha^6 + q \alpha^3 + r $ reduces to 0 for any root $ \alpha $ of $ x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x - 1, $ so $ x^9 + px^6 + qx^3 + r $ will be divisible by $ x^3 - 3x^2 + 4x - 1 $.