Roots of unity: Can somebody explain the following

complex numberscomplex-analysisreal-analysisroots-of-unity

The n-th roots of unity are the solutions to the equation $z^n-1=0$

The coefficient of $z^{n-1}$ being zero implies that the sum of the
n-th roots of unity equals zero for the following reason: The
coefficients of the $z^{n-1}$ term is the sum of the roots since the
polynomial can be factored into linear factors.

Can somebody explain it in a different way, because I don't really get it.

Best Answer

For a generic polynomial over the complex numbers, you can factor it into linear factors: $$p(z) = a(z-r_1)(z-r_2)...(z-r_n)$$ If you multiply out that polynomial, the coefficient of $z^n$ is $1$ and the coefficient of $z^{n-1}$ is $-r_1-r_2-...-r_n$, the negative of the sum of the roots (times $a$), just like the constant term is $(-1)^n\cdot$(product of roots times $a$), and so forth for all the other coefficients.

The geometric explanation for why the sum of the $n$-th roots of unity is zero is that they form a regular $n$-gon around the origin when plotted in the complex plane.