How do you find the zeros of f(x) = 2x^3+2x^2-2x-1f(x)=2x3+2x22x1 ?

1 Answer
Oct 27, 2016

Use a trigonometric substitution method to find zeros:

x_n = 1/3(4 cos(1/3 cos^(-1)(5/32) + (2npi)/3) - 1)" "xn=13(4cos(13cos1(532)+2nπ3)1)

for n = 0, 1, 2n=0,1,2.

Explanation:

f(x) = 2x^3+2x^2-2x-1f(x)=2x3+2x22x1

color(white)()
Rational roots theorem

By the rational roots theorem, any rational zeros of f(x)f(x) are expressible in the form p/qpq for integers p, qp,q with pp a divisor of the constant term -11 and qq a divisor of the coefficient 22 of the leading term.

That means that the only possible rational zeros are:

+-1/2±12, +-1±1

None of these work, so f(x)f(x) has no rational zeros.

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Discriminant

The discriminant Delta of a cubic polynomial in the form ax^3+bx^2+cx+d is given by the formula:

Delta = b^2c^2-4ac^3-4b^3d-27a^2d^2+18abcd

In our example, a=2, b=2, c=-2 and d=-1, so we find:

Delta = 16+64+32-108+144 = 148

Since Delta > 0 this cubic has 3 Real zeros.

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Tschirnhaus transformation

To make the task of solving the cubic simpler, we make the cubic simpler using a linear substitution known as a Tschirnhaus transformation.

0=108f(x)=216x^3+216x^2-216x-108

=(6x+2)^3-48(6x+2)-20

=t^3-48t-20

where t=(6x+2)

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Trigonometric substitution

Look for a substitution of the form t = k cos theta with k chosen so that the resulting cubic contains:

4cos^3 theta - 3 cos theta = cos 3 theta

Let t = k cos theta

0 = t^3-48t-20

color(white)(0) = k^3 cos^3 theta - 48k cos theta - 20

color(white)(0) = k (k^2 cos^3 theta - 48 cos theta) - 20

Let k=8

0 = 8 (64 cos^3 theta - 48 cos theta) - 20

color(white)(0) = 128 (4 cos^3 theta - 3 cos theta) - 20

color(white)(0) = 128 cos 3 theta - 20

So:

cos 3 theta = 20/128 = 5/32

Hence:

3 theta = +-cos^(-1)(5/32) + 2npi

So:

theta = +-1/3 cos^(-1)(5/32) + (2npi)/3

Note that cos (-theta) = cos (theta), so we can discard the +- to get distinct solutions:

t_n = 8 cos (1/3 cos^(-1)(5/32) + (2npi)/3)" " for n = 0, 1, 2

Then x = 1/6(t-2)

x_n = 1/3(4 cos(1/3 cos^(-1)(5/32) + (2npi)/3) - 1)" " for n = 0, 1, 2