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Let $\alpha, \beta, \gamma$ be the complex roots of the polynomial $P_3(x)=ax^3+bx^2+cx+d$.

Is there any known formula for calculating $\alpha^2 \beta+\beta^2 \gamma+ \gamma^2\alpha \; , \; \alpha \beta^2+\beta \gamma^2+\gamma\alpha^2$ (in terms of $a,b,c,d$)?

If no, can someone obtain it?

M.H.Hooshmand
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5 Answers5

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Let $u=\alpha^2\beta+\beta^2\gamma+\gamma^2\alpha$ and $v=\alpha\beta^2+\beta\gamma^2+\gamma\alpha^2$. We have the following relations between the elementary symmetric polynomials $e_1$, $e_2$ and $e_3$ of $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$ and the coefficients of $P_3$: $$ e_1 = \alpha+\beta+\gamma = -\frac{b}{a} \\ e_2 = \alpha\beta+\beta\gamma+\gamma\alpha = +\frac{c}{a} \\ e_3 = \alpha\beta\gamma = -\frac{d}{a} $$ We find \begin{eqnarray*} p & := u+v = & e_1e_2-3e_3 \\ q & := uv = & e_1^3e_3-6e_1e_2e_3+e_2^3+9e_3^2 \end{eqnarray*} From this, you can obtain $u$ and $v$ solving $t^2-pt+q=0$.

Reinhard Meier
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  • Nice answer[+1] but the problem remains that once you have solved the quadratic, it's a whole: you cannot say for example that $u$ is given by $u=(p+\sqrt{\Delta})/2$ and $v$ by $v=(p-\sqrt{\Delta})/2$... (I have tried in my answer to show where are the roots (pun intended) of this "twinship" of expressions $u$,$v$.) – Jean Marie Jan 26 '17 at 07:31
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    I know. But at least we can calculate the values of the elements in the set ${u,v}$, which is a lot more than just saying that an explicit solution does not exist. And (as you have shown [+1]) we can say that for three of the permutations of the roots of $P$ (which are rotations of each other), we will have $u=(p+\sqrt{\Delta})/2$ and $v=(p−\sqrt{\Delta})/2$, while for the other three permutations of the roots, we will have $u=(p-\sqrt{\Delta})/2$ and $v=(p+\sqrt{\Delta})/2$. – Reinhard Meier Jan 26 '17 at 09:25
  • Another interesting fact may be that $\Delta = V^2(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$, where $V(\alpha,\beta,\gamma) = (\alpha-\beta)(\alpha-\gamma)(\beta-\gamma)$ (Vandermonde polynomial). – Reinhard Meier Jan 26 '17 at 09:30
  • Interesting remark ... Not so surprizing afterwards when you think to the meaning of condition $\Delta=0$. – Jean Marie Jan 26 '17 at 10:19
  • @ReinhardMeier, how are $u$ and $v$ related to the Lagrange resolvent? I'm trying to understand the philosophy under the Lagrange method, but I'm missing the general picture. – zar Aug 18 '17 at 20:56
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    @zar I don't see a relation between the Lagrange resolvent and this problem. For the solution of this problem, you only need to see that $u+v$ and $uv$ are symmetric with respect to $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$. The rest is straight forward application of the fundamental theorem of symmetric polynomials and Vieta's formulas. – Reinhard Meier Aug 19 '17 at 10:47
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Let

$$\cases{E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma):=\alpha^2 \beta+\beta^2 \gamma+ \gamma^2\alpha\\F(\alpha,\beta,\gamma):= \alpha \beta^2+\beta \gamma^2+\gamma\alpha^2}$$

Your problem, strictly speaking, has no solution (but we will see hereafter that we can somewhat "bypass" this issue):

Here is a counterexample: Consider $P_3(x)=x(x^2-1)$ with roots $\{0,1,-1\}$.

Expression $E$ can take two different values depending on the order in which the roots are taken : $$E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)=\begin{cases}-1 \ & \text{if} \ \ \alpha=1,\beta=-1,\gamma=0\\ \ \ \ 1 \ & \text{if} \ \ \alpha=-1,\beta=1,\gamma=0\end{cases}.$$

As said in the other answers, the fundamental reason is that neither $E$ nor $F$ is symmetrical in $\alpha, \beta, \gamma$, thus not invariant for certain permutations of the roots.

Of course, if you take $E+F$, you get a symmetrical polynomial in $\alpha, \beta, \gamma.$

But a slightly deeper analysis will be rewarding. In fact, expressions $E$ and $F$ are conjugate in a sense that will become clear, once we have seen the two following examples:

  • taking $P_3(x)=x^3+x^2-x$, value $E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)=\Phi\approx1.618$ is taken 3 times, and value $1-\Phi\approx-0.618$ is taken as well 3 times ($\Phi$ is the golden ratio).

  • taking $P_3(x)=x^3+x^2+x$, (with some complex roots), value $-\frac12+i\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$ is taken 3 times, and conjugate value (with the meaning of "conjugation in $\mathbb{C}$"): $-\frac12-i\frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}$ is taken 3 times.

Let us prove this "conjugation" by inspecting the set $S_3$ of $3!=6$ permutations of the roots $\alpha,\beta,\gamma$:

$$\binom{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}: \ \ E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)=E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$$

$$\binom{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}{\beta \ \gamma \ \alpha}: \ \ E(\beta,\gamma,\alpha)=E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$$

$$\binom{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}{\gamma \ \alpha \ \beta}: \ \ E(\gamma,\alpha,\beta)=E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$$

$$\binom{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}{\beta \ \alpha \ \gamma}: \ \ E(\beta,\alpha,\gamma)=F(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$$

$$\binom{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}{\beta \ \gamma \ \alpha}: \ \ E(\beta,\gamma ,\alpha)=F(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$$

$$\binom{\alpha \ \beta \ \gamma}{\gamma\ \beta \ \alpha}: \ \ E(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)=F(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$$

We have thus proved that, once a permutation is done on the roots, the value taken by $E$ is either unchanged (3 cases) or is the value of $F$ (the 3 other cases). As said by @CCorn in his answer, it is the mathematical object $\{E,F\}$ which is invariant under the action of $S_3$.

Remark: The first 3 cases correspond to a circular permutation: it is evident that $E$ has been built so that it is invariant by this type of permutation.

Addendum:

This is a little window on the origin of the so-called "Galois theory".

Have a look at the very pedagogical presentation here where it is explained how the ideas of Lagrange for solving the quartic equation where based on polynomials (called resolvents) that, under permutation, could take only a very small number of values. See also (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartic_function). Another reference (Galois theory: splitting field of cubic as a vector space).

Jean Marie
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  • I have made clearer (I think so...) my presentation by an explicit work on the permutation, making easy the proof of the two values. – Jean Marie Jan 26 '17 at 06:22
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No. $a,b,c,d$ are symmetric polynomials in $\alpha,\beta,\gamma$ and thus invariant under every permutation of $(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$. The expressions you want are invariant under some permutations, but not all, and therefore cannot be expressed in terms of only $a,b,c,d$.

Their sum is symmetric however, as @DougM's answer indicates.

Update: Their product too, and this results in a quadratic equation for the two expressions, as @ReinhardMeier's answer shows. Thus, the individual values of your desired expressions (call them $u$ and $v$) are not determined uniquely from $a,b,c,d$, but the set $\{u,v\}$ is.

ccorn
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$\frac {b}{a} = -\alpha - \beta - \gamma\\ \frac {c}{a} = \alpha \beta + \beta\gamma + \gamma\alpha\\ \frac {d}{a} = -\alpha \beta\gamma\\ -\frac {b}{a}\frac {c}{a} + 3\frac {d}{a} = (\alpha^2 \beta + \beta^2\gamma + \gamma^2\alpha)+(\alpha \beta^2 + \beta\gamma^2 + \gamma\alpha^2)$

I don't know if I can do much more that that.

Doug M
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There can be no such formula. The coefficients $a$, $b$, $c$ and $d$ are symmetric functions of the roots $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$. Your polynomials $\alpha^2 \beta+\beta^2 \gamma+ \gamma^2\alpha$ and $\alpha \beta^2+\beta \gamma^2+\gamma\alpha^2$ are not symmetric functions, so they cannot be expressed as functions of the coefficients (since any such function would be symmetric).

Rob Arthan
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