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jmc

algebra senior

Problem

and are complex numbers such that Compute .
Solution
We let (the elementary symmetric sums). Then, we can rewrite the above equations asfrom where it follows that . The third equation can be factored asfrom where it follows that . Thus, applying Vieta's formulas backwards, and are the roots of the polynomialLet (the power sums). Then from , we have the recursion . It follows that .
Final answer
71