The cube roots of unity are the three solutions of x3=1, found by factoring x3−1=(x−1)(x2+x+1)=0: one real root x=1, and two complex conjugate roots coming from the quadratic factor, ω=−21+23i and ω2=−21−23i (so ω and ω2=ωˉ are complex conjugates of each other). These three roots — 1,ω,ω2 — satisfy a standing toolkit of identities used constantly in this chapter's exercises: ω3=1 (so powers of ω cycle every 3 steps, exactly like powers of i cycle every 4), the sum identity 1+ω+ω2=0 (equivalently ω2+ω+1=0, so ω2=−1−ω and ω+1=−ω2), the reciprocal identities ω1=ω2 and ω21=ω, and the periodicity rules ω3n=1, ω3n+1=ω, ω3n+2=ω2 for any integer n. Also, 1=e2πi, ω=e2πi/3, and ω2=e4πi/3, linking the cube roots of unity to the exponential form and De Moivre's theorem. These identities let complicated-looking expressions in ω (like (1+ω−ω2)6 or (a+bω+cω2)) collapse to small integers or simple multiples of ω,ω2, and the same toolkit works for a …
omega4=omega and omega8=omega6+2=omega2. So the product is (1+omega)(1+omega2)(1+omega)(1+omega2)=[(1+omega)(1+omega2)]2. Now $(1+\omega)(1+\omega^2)=1+\omega^2+\omega+\omega^3=1+(\omega+\omega^2)+1=1+(-1) …