Algebra – Monic Polynomial with Roots as Squares of Another Polynomial

algebra-precalculuspolynomials

Let $g(x)$ be a monic polynomial of degree three such that the roots of $g(x)=0$ are the squares of roots $P(x)=x^3+x+1=0$. Find g(x)

My approach

Assuming the three roots of $P(x)$ as $\alpha, \beta, \gamma$, and taking $g(x)=x^3+ax^2+bx+c$ and putting in $\alpha^2$ as a root in $g(x)$. You can reduce the power of $\alpha$ by putting it back through $P(x)$ through which I got a relation $$\alpha^2(1+b-a)+\alpha(2-a)+c=0$$ repeating this with all the three roots and adding these three equations I got the relation $$3(c+1)=2(1+b-a)$$ and we can get one more relation by applying $D=0$ on the first relation because one of the roots between $\alpha, \beta, \gamma$ will be real.

I still didn't get an answer which rid me of all the 3 variables $a,b,c$ to get $g(x)$

Best Answer

Separate even and odd degree terms:

$x^3+x=-1$

And square:

$x^{\color{blue}6}+2x^{\color{blue}4}+x^{\color{blue}2}=1$

Note that all exponents are even, so we have a polynomial equation in $x^2$:

$(x^2)^3+2(x^2)^2+(x^2)-1=0$

This identifies the left side as $g(x^2)$ and therefore

$g(x)=x^3+2x^2+x-1.$

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