I have $a,b,c\in\mathbb{Q}$ not all zero. ($a^2+b^2+c^2\ne 0$), I want to show that the following determinant is then non-zero. I failed to arrive at an appropriate form of the polynomial. Help please.
$$\left|\begin{bmatrix} a & 2c & 2b\\b & a & 2c\\ c & b & a\end{bmatrix}\right| = a^3+2 b^3-6 a b c+4 c^3$$
Second question, what is the easiest way to argue that $\{1,\sqrt[3]{2},(\sqrt[3]{2})^2\}$ is linearly independent in $\mathbb{Q}$?
Motivation:
Prove that $\mathbb{Q}[\sqrt[3]{2}] = \{a+b\sqrt[3]{2}+c(\sqrt[3]{2})^2\;|\;a,b,c\in\mathbb{Q}\}$ forms a field.
Proof: Since $\mathbb{Q}[\sqrt[3]{2}] \subset \mathbb{R}$, we prove $\mathbb{Q}[\sqrt[3]{2}]$ is a subfield of $(\mathbb{R},+,\cdot)$
$\forall (a+b\sqrt[3]{2}+c(\sqrt[3]{2})^2)\in \mathbb{Q}[\sqrt[3]{2}]\backslash\{0\}.$ We want to find $(a+b\sqrt[3]{2}+c(\sqrt[3]{2})^2)$ such that
$(a+b\sqrt[3]{2}+c(\sqrt[3]{2})^2)(d+e\sqrt[3]{2}+f(\sqrt[3]{2})^2) =$
$ (ad+2ec+2bf)+(ae+bd+2cf)\sqrt[3]{2}+(af+cd+be)(\sqrt[3]{2})^2 = 1$
Since $\{1,\sqrt[3]{2},(\sqrt[3]{2})^2\}$ is linearly independent (?) over $\mathbb{Q}$, we show there is unique solution to:
$$\begin{bmatrix} a & 2c & 2b\\b & a & 2c\\ c & b & a\end{bmatrix} \cdot \left[\begin{array}{l l} d\\e\\f \end{array}\right] = \left[\begin{array}{l l} 1\\0\\0 \end{array}\right] $$
Which is equivalent in showing the determinant is non-zero
$$\left|\begin{bmatrix} a & 2c & 2b\\b & a & 2c\\ c & b & a\end{bmatrix}\right| = a^3+2 b^3-6 a b c+4 c^3=(?)$$
By subfield test, 1)2)3)4) is enough to say that $(\mathbb{Q}[\sqrt[3]{2}],+,\cdot)$ is a subfield of $(\mathbb{R},+,\cdot)$ therefore a field.
EDIT: If you have shorter way that prove the proposition without touching my 2 questions, that is even better.
Best Answer
Since $a,\ b$ and $c$ are rational, we may clear denominators in $$a^3 + 2b^3 -6abc +4c^3 = 0$$ The above equation is a homogenous equation of degree $3$ so we may cancel common factors. If there exists non-trivial solutions to the equation, we may therefore assume without loss of generality that $a,\ b$ and $c$ are integers with $\gcd(a,\ b,\ c)=1$.
Reducing modulo $2$, we find that $a\equiv 0\pmod 2$. Let $a=2\alpha$. Making the substitution and cancelling common factors, we arrive at $$4\alpha^3 +b^3 - 6\alpha bc + 2c^3 = 0$$ Reducing mod $2$ again, we get $b\equiv 0\pmod2$. So let $b=2\beta$ to obtain $$2\alpha^3 + 4\beta^3 - 6\alpha\beta c + c^3 = 0$$ Reducing modulo $2$ one last time gives $c\equiv 0\pmod 2$. This contradicts the fact that $\gcd(a,\ b,\ c)=1$. Therefore there are no non-trivial integer solutions to the above equation. It follows that the determinant is non-zero since $a,\ b$ and $c$ are not all zero.
To show the linear independence of $\left\{1,\ \sqrt[3]{2},\ \left(\sqrt[3]{2}\right)^2\right\}$ in $\mathbb{Q}$, suppose to the contrary that there exists some non-trivial rational linear combination such that $$r_0 + r_1\sqrt[3]{2} + r_2\left(\sqrt[3]{2}\right)^2 = 0$$ Then clearing denominators, there exists a non-trivial integral linear combination of the above set to $0$. Specifically, there exists an integral polynomial $p(x)$ of degree $2$ such that $\sqrt[3]{2}$ is a root. But the minimal polynomial of $\sqrt[3]{2}$ is $x^3 - 2$. This is a contradiction.