Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematical-methods-i-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2017-resit/1/b/solution

A root of unity satisfies , hence has modulus one. Writing , its argument satisfies for some integer . The three distinct complex roots are therefore
They are equally spaced on the unit circle. Taking exhausts them, since adding three to repeats a root and a nonzero polynomial of degree three has at most three distinct roots.

New to topics? Read the docs here!