Difference between revisions of "2020 AMC 12B Problems/Problem 23"

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==Solution==
 
==Solution==
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For <math>n=2</math>, we see that if <math>z_{1}+z_{2}=0</math>, then <math>z_{1}=-z_{2}</math>, so they are evenly spaced along the unit circle.
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For <math>n=3</math>, WLOG, we can set <math>z_{1}=1</math>. Notice that now <math>\mathscr{Re}(z_{1}+z{2})=-1</math> and <math>\mathscr{Im}\{z_{1}\}=-\mathscr{IM}\{z_{2}\}</math>
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==

Revision as of 23:57, 7 February 2020


Problem 23

How many integers $n \geq 2$ are there such that whenever $z_1, z_2, ..., z_n$ are complex numbers such that

\[|z_1| = |z_2| = ... = |z_n| = 1 \text{    and    } z_1 + z_2 + ... + z_n = 0,\] then the numbers $z_1, z_2, ..., z_n$ are equally spaced on the unit circle in the complex plane?

$\textbf{(A)}\ 1 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 2 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 3 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 4 \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 5$

Solution

Solution

For $n=2$, we see that if $z_{1}+z_{2}=0$, then $z_{1}=-z_{2}$, so they are evenly spaced along the unit circle.

For $n=3$, WLOG, we can set $z_{1}=1$. Notice that now $\mathscr{Re}(z_{1}+z{2})=-1$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg) and $\mathscr{Im}\{z_{1}\}=-\mathscr{IM}\{z_{2}\}$ (Error compiling LaTeX. Unknown error_msg)

See Also

2020 AMC 12B (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 22
Followed by
Problem 24
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
All AMC 12 Problems and Solutions

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