Sum of Powers of Roots

By Yue Kwok Choy

Queens College

Let

1, 2 , , n

be the roots of the equation :

, an 0

f(x) = anxn + an-1xn-1 + + a1 x + a0 = 0

.. (1)

We like to find the values of :

and

Sk = 1k + 2k + + nk

k = 1, 2,

Tk = 1k + 2k + + nk

k = 1, 2,

This problem can be solved by Newtons formulas, which can be found in most advanced level algebra
books.

However, Newtons formulas are difficult to derive and remember. This short article gives you an

interesting alternative approach to get the solution.

Since

1, 2 , , n

are roots, therefore :

f(x) = an (x 1) (x 2) (x n)

.. (2)

Taking natural logarithm of (2),

ln |f(x)| = ln|an| + ln | x 1 | + ln | x 2 | + + ln | x n |
Differentiate (3) with respect to
f ' (x)
f (x)

1
x 1

.. (3)

x , we get:

1
x 2

+ ... +

.. (4)

x n

If the reader is not familiar with logarithm differentiation, simple product rule can be used to get (4).
Now apply the formula for Infinite geometric series:

1
1 x

= 1 + x + x 2 + x 3 + .... (|x| < 1)

1 1
1
1
=
+
+ ... +
=
+
+ ... +

f ( x ) x 1 x 2
x n
x 1 1 1 2
1 n

x
x
x
2
3
2

1


= 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + ... + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2
x x x x
x x x

f ' (x)

.. (5)

+ ...

2 3

+ ... + 1 + n + n + n + ...
, by (5)
x x x

1
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3

= n + (1 + 2 + ... + n ) + 2 (1 + 2 + ... + n ) + 3 (1 + 2 + ... + n ) + ...

x
x
x
x
2
3
4
1
1
1
1
= n + S1 + S 2 + S3 + ...
x
x
x
x

Result 1:

Sk

1
is the coefficient of
x

k +1

in the expansion of

f ' (x)
f (x)

, arranging in ascending power of

1
x

f ' (x)

Similarly,

f (x)

f ' (x)

Therefore

f (x)

1
x 1

1
1 x

1
x 2

+ ... +

1
2 x

1
x n

+ ... +

1
n x

1 1

x
1

1
2

+ ... +

1
n

x
n

1 x x x
1 x x x
+ ...
+
+
1 +
1 + + + + ... +
1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2
2
3

1 x x x
+ ...
+
+
+ ... +
1 +
n n n n

1
1
1 1
1
1 1
1
1
+ 2 + 2 + ... + 2 x + 3 + 3 + ... + 3 x 2 + ...
= +
+ ... +
n 1
2
n 1 2
n
1 2
2

, by (5)

= T1 + T 2 x + T 3 x 2 +

Tk

Result 2:

is the coefficient of

xk-1

in the expansion of

f '(x)
f (x)

, arranging in ascending powers of

x.

Example 1

Let

S1 = + ,

be the roots of

x2 + 2x + 4 = 0,

S2 = 2 + 2, S3 = 3 + 3 ,

find

S4 = 4 + 4 .

Solution

Let

f(x) = x2 + 2x + 4

f '(x)

f (x)

f (x) = 2x + 2.

2x + 2
x + 2x + 4
2

2 2 4 + 16 16
Using Detached coefficient division, with the first few steps shown:

1+ 2 + 4

) 2+2
2+ 4+8

(If you cannot see clearly the pattern of the variables, you may

28

use long division.)

2 4 8
4+8
4 8 16
16 + 16
16 + 32 + 64
16 64

we get

f '(x)
f (x)

By Result 1,

2x + 2

1 1
1
1
1
= 2 2 4 + 16 16 + ...
2
x x
x
x
x
x + 2x + 4
S1 = + = 2,

S2 = 2 + 2 = 4 ,

S3 = 3 + 3 = 16,

S4 = 4 + 4 = 16

Exercise 1

+ = 2 , = 4 ?

x2 + 2x + 4 = 0 ,

Can you verify the above results using Vietas theorem:

Example 2

, ,

Let
1

T1 =

be the roots of the equation

T2 =

T3 =

x3 2x2 + x 1 = 0,
1

find
T4 =

Solution

Let

f(x) =

f (x) = 3x2 4x + 1 .

x3 2x2 + x 1 ,

1
1
1
4 + 3
f '(x)
3x 2 4 x + 1
1 4 x + 3x 2
x
x
= x 3
=
=
2
1
1
1
f ( x ) x 3 2x 2 + x 1
1 x + 2x 2 x 3


+ 2 1
x x
x

1 3 2 + 5

Using Detached coefficient division, with the first few steps shown:

1 1 + 2 1

) 1 4 + 3
1 1 + 2 1

(If you cannot see clearly the pattern of the variables, you may

3 +1+1

use long division.)

3+36+3
2+73
2+24+2
5 +1 2

we get

f '(x)
f (x)

= 1 3x 2 x 2 + 5x 3 + ...

By Result 2,

T1 =
T3 =

=1
1

= 2

T2 =

T4 =

+
+

+
+

1
2
1
4

= 3
=5

Exercise 2

Can you verify the above results using Vietas theorem for the relation of roots and the polynomial equation:
x3 2x2 + x 1 = 0,

++=2,

+ + = 1 ,

= 1 ?

(The verification may be long, but is a good algebra exercise.)