+31 Find all complex numbers z such that z^4=-4
Note: All solutions should be expressed in the form a+bi, where a and b are real numbers.
Thanks,
Soccerfan 123
We can write -4 in exponential notation as 4e^(pi*i), so the equation is z^4 = 4e^(pi*i).
By Hamilton's Theorem, the solutions are z = 4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4), 4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4 + pi/4), 4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4 + 2*pi/4), and 4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4 + 3*pi/4). Since 4^{1/4} = sqrt(2) and e^(pi*i/4) = (1 + i)/sqrt(2), the first solution is 1 + i. Then the other roots work out as
4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4 + pi/4) = 1 - i,
4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4 + 2*pi/4) = -1 - i, and
4^{1/4}*e^(pi*i/4 + 3*pi/4) = -1 + i.
