(in construction)
We will solve the following problem (It is problem 3 from NMO 2026, proposed for grade 7 page 5):
Determine the pairs $(a,b)$ of nonzero natural numbers for which the
numbers $\frac{a^2+b}{a+b-1}$ and $\frac{b^2+a}{a+b}$ are natural.
{author} Lucian DRAGOMIR, Oțelu Roșu
Vocabulary : NMO = National Mathematics Olympiad
(in construction)
I wrote about the book here.
We discuss some Identities with two or more complex variables.
I took a look at the classic works, of which I have the following:
@ EVGRAFOV M., BÉJANOV K., SIDOROV Y., FÉDORUK M, CHABOUNINE M.
RECUEIL DE PROBLÈMES SUR LA THÉORIE DES FONCTIONS ANALYTIQUES
MIR, Moscou, 1974Сборник задач по теории функций комплексного переменного
ФИЗМАТЛИТ, Москва, 2004
Problems in the Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable
MIR, Moscow, 1977
@@@@@ VOLKOVYSKII L[ev] I[zrailevich], LUNTS, G[rigorii] L[‘vovich],
ARAMANOVICH I[saak] G[enrikhovich]
A Collection of Problems on Complex Analysis
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC. New York, 1991
9. Prove the identity :
$|z_1+z_2|^2+|z_1-z_2|^2=2(|z_1|^2+|z_2|^2.$
10. Prove the identity :
$|1-\bar z_1z_2|^2-|z_1-z_2|^2=(1-|z_1|^2)(1-|z_2|^2).$
13. Prove the foloowing identities :
$$1)\;\;(n-2)\sum_{k=1}^n|a_k|^2+\bigg |\sum_{k=1}^na_k\bigg|^2=\sum_{1\leqslant k<s\leqslant n}|a_k+a_s|^2;$$
$$2)\;\;n\sum_{k=1}^n|a_k|^2-\bigg | \sum_{k=1}^na_k \bigg |^2=\sum_{1\leqslant k<s\leqslant n}|a_k-a_s|^2.$$
We will list from the basic work in the title the issues more or less related to this topic.
Problem 35* (page 25) Show that for any $z\in \mathbb{C}$ the relation holds :
$|\sqrt{z^2-1}+z|+|\sqrt{z^2-1}-z|=|z-1|+|z+1|.$
Problem 53 (page 27) Show that :
$2|\sqrt{z^2-1}+z|=|z+1|+|z-1|+\sqrt{(|z+1|^2+|z-1|^2)-4},\;\;\;\forall z\in \mathbb{C}.$
Problem 55 (page 27) If $z\in \mathbb{C}$ then
$|\sqrt{z^2+2z}+z+1|+|\sqrt{z^2+2z}-(z-1)|+|z-2|=$
$=|\sqrt{z^2-2z}+z-1|+|\sqrt{z^2-2z}-(z-1)|+|z+2|.$
Problem 1 (page 28-29) To check the equalities :
a) $|z_1+z_2|^2+|z_1-z_2|^2=2(|z_1|^2+|z_2|^2);$
b) $|z_1|^2+|z_2|^2-z_1 \bar z_2-\bar z_1 z_2=|z_1-z_2|^2;$
c) $|z_1\bar z_2+1|^2+|z_1-z_2|^2=(|z_1|^2+1)(|z_2|^2+1);$
d) $|z_1 \bar z_2-1|^2-|z_1-z_2|^2=(|z_1|^2-1)(|z_2|^2-1);$
e) $|z_1+2z_2|^2-2|z_1+z_2|^2=2|z_2|^2-|z_1|^2.$
Problem 2 (page 29) If $z_1,\;z_2\in \mathbb{C}$, then :
a) $|z_1 \bar z_2+1|^2+|z_2 \bar z_1+1|^2+2|z_1-z_2|^2=2(1+|z_1|^2)(1+|z_2|^2);$
b) $z_1 \bar z_2-1|^2+|z_2 \bar z_1-1|^2-2|z_1-z_2|^2=2(1-|z_1|^2)(1-|z_2|^2);$
c) $|1-\bar z_1z_2|^2-|z_1-z_2|^2=(1+|z_1z_2|)^2-(|z_1|+|z_2|)^2.$
Problem 4 (page 29) BERGSTROM identity :
for $u,\;v \in \mathbb{C}\;\;and \;\;a,\;b\in \mathbb{R}^*,\;a+b \neq 0$
$\frac{|u|^2}{a}+\frac{|v|^2}{b}-\frac{|u+v|^2}{a+b}=\frac{|bu-av|^2}{ab(a+b)}.$
ANSWER CiP / Solutions CiP
@1.68 1) or @@9 or #1a) (p. 28) $|z_1+z_2|^2+|z_1-z_2|^2=$
$=(z_1+z_2)\cdot \overline{(z_1+z_2)}+(z_1-z_2)\cdot \overline{(z_1-z_2)}=(z_1+z_2)(\bar z_1+\bar z_2)+(z_1-z_2)(\bar z_1-\bar z_2)=$
$=(z_1 \bar z_1+z_2 \bar z_1+z_2\bar z_1+z_2 \bar z_2)+(z_1 \bar z_1-z_1\bar z_2-z_2 \bar z_1+z_2 \bar z_2)=$
$=2z_1 \bar z_1+2z_2 \bar z_2=2(|z_1|^2+|z_2|^2)$
(to be continue)
I wrote about the book here.
We discuss problems no. ##3, 4, page 21 (solved on page 177) and #38, page 25 (solved on page 185).
Problem #3 "Let $\varepsilon$ be a complex cube root of unity. Prove that
$|z-1|^2+|z-\varepsilon|^2+|z_\varepsilon^2|^2=3(|z|^2+1)"$
Problem #4 "Let $\varepsilon$ be a complex cube root of unity. Prove that
$|z+u|^2+|z+\varepsilon u|^2+|z+\varepsilon^2 u|^2=3(|z|^2+|u|^2)$
whatever $z,\;u\in\mathbb{C}$ are."
Problem #38 "Prove that :
a) $(z-1)^2+(z-\varepsilon)^2+(z-\bar\varepsilon)^2=3z^2$
where $\varepsilon=\cos\frac{2\pi}{3}+\imath \sin\frac{2\pi}{3};$
$\textbf{b)}\;\;\;(z-1)^2+(z-\varepsilon)^2+(z-\varepsilon ^2)^2+\dots+(z-\varepsilon ^{n-1})^2=nz^2$
where $\varepsilon=\cos \frac{2\pi}{n}+\imath \sin \frac{2\pi}{n};$
$$\textbf{c)}\;\;\; \sum_{k=0}^{n-1}|z-\varepsilon ^k|^2=n(|z|^2+1|)."$$
Solution of #4(CiP - Same as the solution on page 177)
The cube roots of unity are $\left \{1,\;-\frac{1}{2}\pm \imath \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right \}$. Let $\varepsilon \neq 1$ be one of them. We have
$\varepsilon ^3=1,\;\;\;1+\varepsilon+\varepsilon ^2=0,\;\;\;\bar \varepsilon =\varepsilon ^2 \;\;\;\varepsilon \cdot \bar \varepsilon =1\tag{U3}$
Using that $|z|^2=z \cdot \bar z,\;\;(\forall) z\in \mathbb{C}$ we have
$|z+u|^2+|z+\varepsilon u|^2+|z+\varepsilon ^2 u|^2=$
$=(z+u)\cdot \overline{(z+u)}+(z+\varepsilon u)\cdot \overline{(z+\varepsilon u)}+(z+\varepsilon ^2 u)\cdot \overline{(z+\varepsilon ^2 u)}=$
$=(z+u)(\bar z +\bar u)+(z+\varepsilon u)(\bar z+\bar \varepsilon \bar u)+(z+\varepsilon ^2 u)(\bar z+\overline{\varepsilon ^2}\bar u)\overset{(U_3)}{=}$
$=(z\bar z+z\bar u+\bar z u+u\bar u)+(z \bar z+\varepsilon ^2 z \bar u+\varepsilon \bar z u+u \bar u)+(z\bar z+\varepsilon z \bar u+\varepsilon ^2 \bar z u+\varepsilon ^3 u \bar u)=$
$=3|z|^2+z\bar u (1+\varepsilon^2+\varepsilon)+\bar z u (1+\varepsilon +\varepsilon^2)+3|u|^2\underset{(U_3)}{=}3|z|^2+3|u|^2.$
$\blacksquare$
Solution of #3(CiP)
If $u=-1$, the statement of Problem #3 is obtained, or the calculation can be redone in this particular case.
$\blacksquare$
REMARK CiP On the cited page 177, the author of the book mentions another possible solution, using the identity(according to page 41, Exercise #10a)) :
$|z_1+z_2|^2+|z_2+z_3|^2+|z_3+z_1|^2=|z_1|^2+|z_2|^2+|z_3|^2+|z_1+z_2+z_3|^2$
Damn, I couldn't do this.
<end REM>
Solution of #38(CiP)
a) We have
$(z-1)^2+(z-\varepsilon)^2+(z-\bar \varepsilon)^2 \overset{(U_3)}{=}(z-1)^2+(z-\varepsilon)^2+(z-\varepsilon^2)^2=$
$=(z^2-2z+1)+(z^2-2\varepsilon z+\varepsilon^2)+(z^2-2\varepsilon^2z+\varepsilon^4)=$
$=3z^2-2(1+\varepsilon+\varepsilon^2)z+(1+\varepsilon^2+\varepsilon)\underset{(U_3)}{=}3z^2$
$\blacksquare$
b) Let $\varepsilon=\cos\frac{2\pi}{n}+\imath \sin \frac{2\pi}{n}$; we have $\varepsilon ^n=1$, and since $1-\varepsilon ^n=(1-\varepsilon)(1+\varepsilon+\varepsilon^2+\dots+\varepsilon ^{n-1})=0$ it follows
$$\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\varepsilon ^k=0. \tag{1}$$
But we also have
$$\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(\varepsilon ^k)^2=0;\tag{2}$$
this is verified by distinguishing between odd and even cases for $n$ :
$$n=2m+1\Rightarrow\sum_{k=0}^{2m}\varepsilon ^{2k}=\sum_{k=0}^m \varepsilon ^{2k}+\sum_{k=m+1}^{2m}\varepsilon^{2k}\;\;\;\;\;\overset{\varepsilon^{2m+1}=1}{\underset{\varepsilon^{2m+2}=\varepsilon^1,\;\varepsilon^{2m+4}=\varepsilon^3,\dots, \varepsilon^{4m}=\varepsilon^{2m-1}}{=}}\;\;\sum_{l=0}^{2m}\varepsilon^l\overset{(1)}{=}0;$$
$$n=2m\Rightarrow\sum_{k=0}^{2m-1}\varepsilon^{2k}=\sum_{k=0}^{m-1}\varepsilon^{2k}+\sum_{k=m}^{2m-1}\varepsilon^{2k}\;\;\;\;\;\overset{\varepsilon^{2m}=1}{\underset{\varepsilon^{2m}=1,\;\varepsilon^{2m+2}=\varepsilon^2,\dots, \varepsilon^{4m-2}=\varepsilon^{2m-2}}{=}}\;\;=2\cdot \sum_{l=0}^{m-1}\varepsilon^{2l}=0$$
the latter based on identity $1-\varepsilon^{2m}=(1-\varepsilon^2)(1+\varepsilon^2+\varepsilon^4+\dots+\varepsilon^{2m-2})=0$.
So we calculate
$$\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(z-\varepsilon^k)^2=\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(z^2-2z\varepsilon^k+(\varepsilon^k)^2=nz^2-2z\cdot \sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\varepsilon^k+\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(\varepsilon ^k)^2\;\;\underset{(1)\;(2)}{=}nz^2$$
$\blacksquare$
c) Let us note that, along with (1), we also have its conjugate relation :
$$\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(\bar \varepsilon)^k=0 \tag{3}$$
We obtain by an easy calculation :
$$\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}|z-\varepsilon^k|^2=\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(z-\varepsilon^k)\cdot \overline{(z-\varepsilon^k)}=\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(z-\varepsilon^k)(\bar z-\bar \varepsilon ^k)=$$
$$=\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(z\cdot \bar z-\bar z \cdot \varepsilon^k-z\cdot \bar \varepsilon^k+\varepsilon^k\cdot \bar \varepsilon^k)=$$
$$\overset{z\cdot \bar z=|z|^2}{\underset{\varepsilon \cdot \bar \varepsilon=|\varepsilon|^2=1}{=}}\;\;\;\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}(|z|^2+1)-\bar z\cdot \sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\varepsilon^k-z\cdot \sum_{k=0}^{n-1}\bar \varepsilon^k\overset{(1)}{\underset{(3)}{=}}n(|z|^2+1).$$
REMARK CiP These formulas take place starting from $n=2$ :
$|z-1|^2+|z+1|^2=2(|z|^2+1);$
$n=3$ is the subject of exercise #3.
$\blacksquare$
You can find the book in my Electronic Library. The author, Gh. ANDREI gets lost among the crowd of Titu ANDREESCU...(current version today ; you can still access the library by scanning the QR code from the beginning)
< begin preview>
ANDREESCU Titu, DOSPINESCU Gabriel, MUSHKAROV Oleg
NUMBER THEORY: CONCEPTS AND PROBLEMS
XYZ Press, Plano_TX, 2017
ANDREI Gheorghe
NUMERE COMPLEXE : partea a II-a
Ed. GIL, Zalău, 2004/2005-ebook(cadou de Craciun 25 Dec 2025 de la fiul meu
CIOBANU Victor)
ANDREIAN-CAZACU Cabiria, DELEANU Aristide, JURCHESCU Martin
TOPOLOGIE. CATEGORII. SUPRAFEȚE RIEMANNIENE
Ed. ACADEMIEI [R.S.R.], București, 1966
< end preview>
This post is number 2, because we believe that the post here would be number 1.
Problem #2 (page 21, solved on page 177 ; in translation)
"Let $z\in \mathbb{C}\setminus \{\pm 1\}$, with the property $\imath \frac{z-1}{z+1}\in\mathbb{R}$. Determine $|z|$."
ANSWER CiP
$$|z|=1$$
Solution CiP
Let $\mathbb{R}\ni a=\imath \cdot \frac{z-1}{z+1}.$ We have (because $\imath ^2=-1\Rightarrow \frac{1}{\imath}=-\imath$)
$\frac{z-1}{z+1}=\frac{a}{\imath}=-a\imath$
so
$z=\frac{1-a\imath}{1+a\imath} \tag{1}$
hence, according to Property #20, page 13,
$|z|=\frac{|1-a\imath|}{|1+a\imath|}=\frac{\sqrt{1+a^2}}{\sqrt{1+a^2}}=1$
$\blacksquare$
REMARKS CiP
$1^r$. Continuing in (1), we have $z=\frac{(1-a\imath)^2}{(1+a\imath)(1-a\imath)}$ so
$z= \frac{1-a^2}{1+a^2}-\frac{2a\imath}{1+a^2}\;\overset{b=-a}{=}\;\frac{1-b^2}{1+b^2}+\frac{2b\imath}{1+b^2}\tag{2}$
$2^r$. The reciprocal statement is also true :
$|z|=1\Rightarrow (\exists)a\in\mathbb{R}\;\;s.t.\;\;z=\frac{1-a^2}{1+a^2}-\frac{2a}{1+a^2}\imath\Leftrightarrow (\exists)b\in\mathbb{R}\;\;s.t.\;\;z=\frac{1-b^2}{1+b^2}+\frac{2b}{1+b^2}\imath \tag{3}$
Indeed, according to page 16, Trigonometric form of complex numbers, #1, we have
$z=\cos \theta+\imath \sin \theta$, and $\cos \theta=\frac{1-b^2}{1+b^2},\;\;\sin \theta =\frac{2b}{1+b^2},\;\;\;b=\tan \theta /2$
hence (3).
$\square$<end REM>