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Solving Quintics

In this section, we explain how to exploit the icosahedral symmetry discussed before to solve an arbitrary polynomial of order five (also known as a quintic polynomial).

We begin by returning to a result derived earlier: in the Section on icosahedral symmetry, we showed that the the icosahedral face centres can be grouped into five octohedra:

T(u,v)=∏r=15tI(u ϵ−r/2,v ϵr/2)=∏r=15ϵ15−3r tI(u,v ϵr)=u30+522(u25 v5−u5 v25)−10005(u20 v10+u10 v20)+v30 .\begin{aligned} T(u,v) &= \prod_{r=1}^5 t_I(u\,\epsilon^{-r/2},v\,\epsilon^{r/2}) = \prod_{r=1}^5 \epsilon^{15-3r} \,t_I(u,v\,\epsilon^r) \\ &= u^{30} +522\left(u^{25}\,v^5-u^5\,v^{25}\right) - 10005\left(u^{20}\,v^{10} + u^{10}\,v^{20}\right) + v^{30} \,. \end{aligned}

where

tI(u,v):=(u2+v2)(u2−2zn uv−v2)(u2−2zm uv−v2) .t_I(u,v) := (u^2+v^2)(u^2-2z_n\,uv-v^2)(u^2-2z_m\,uv-v^2) \,.
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Following the work on octahedral invariants, it’s usef

What we intend to do next is to demonstrate the existence of a map from points zz on the complex plane (away from the edge midpoints) to a particular set of roots of a Brioschi quintic, whose Brioschi parameter can also be computed from zz.

To do this, we begin by considering the polynomial P(X)P(X) given by

P(X)=∏r=15(X−ϵ15−3r tI(u,v ϵr)) .P(X) = \prod_{r=1}^5 \left(X - \epsilon^{15-3r} \,t_I(u,v\,\epsilon^r)\right) \,.

Expanding, we find that

P(X)=X5−10 f(u,v) X3+45 f(u,v)2 X−T(u,v)P(X) = X^5 - 10\,f(u,v)\,X^3+45\,f(u,v)^2\,X - T(u,v)

where f(u,v)=uv(u10+11 u5v5−v10)f(u,v) = uv\left(u^{10}+11\,u^5v^5-v^{10}\right), as in the previous Section.

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Therefore, if we define the homogeneous coordinates

t~r(u,v):=−f2(u,v)T(u,v) ϵ15−3r tI(u,v ϵr) ,\tilde t_r(u,v) := -\frac{f^2(u,v)}{T(u,v)}\,\epsilon^{15-3r}\,t_I(u,v\,\epsilon^r) \,,

(which are degree-zero complex functions in uu and vv, defined everywhere except for at the edge midpoints) then a second polynomial can be readily constructed as follows:

PB(X,z)=∏r=15(X−t~r(z,1)) .P_B(X,z) = \prod_{r=1}^5 \left(X- \tilde t_r(z,1)\right) \,.

The polynomial PB(X)P_B(X) is indeed a Brioschi quintic with Brioschi parameter B(z)=B(z,1)B(z) = B(z,1) where

B(u,v):=−f5(u,v)T2(u,v)B(u,v) := -\frac{f^5(u,v)}{T^2(u,v)}

such that

PB(X,z)=X5+10 B(z) X3+45 B2(z) X+B2(z) .P_B(X,z) = X^5 +10\,B(z)\, X^3 + 45\,B^2(z)\,X + B^2(z) \,.

For completeness, we recall the syzygy derived earlier which relates the three icosahedral polynomial invariants f(u,v)f(u,v), T(u,v)T(u,v), and H(u,v)H(u,v):

T2(u,v)−H3(u,v)=123 f5(u,v)T^2(u,v) - H^3(u,v) = 12^3\,f^5(u,v)

where

H(u,v):=u20−228(u15v5−u5v15)+494 u10v10+v20 .H(u,v) := u^{20} - 228\left(u^{15}v^5-u^5v^{15}\right)+494\,u^{10}v^{10}+v^{20} \,.
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We also define a second degree-zero ratio of polynomial invariants, namely

I(u,v):=−H3(u,v)123f5(u,v)=1+1123B(u,v) ,I(u,v) := -\frac{H^3(u,v)}{12^3f^5(u,v)} = 1 + \frac{1}{12^3B(u,v)} \,,

for future use, which conveniently maps the icosahedral vertices, edge midpoints, and face centres to infinity, one, and zero, respectively.

Tschirnhaus Transformation and Principal Quintics

In this section, we aim to demonstrate that solving a single quadratic equation allows us to trade any general quintic of the form

P(x)=x5+p1 x4+p2 x3+p3 x2+p4 x+p5=0P(x) = x^5+ p_1 \,x^4 + p_2 \, x^3 + p_3 \, x^2+p_4 \, x + p_5 = 0

for a principal quintic with has the x4x^4 and x3x^3 coefficients equal to zero.

To this end, let’s define a transformation

y=x2+A x+By = x^2 + A\,x + B

and show how to solve for (A,B)(A,B) such that the polynomial equation Q(y)=0Q(y)=0 with coefficients qiq_i with q1=q2=0q_1 = q_2 = 0.

The polynomial Q(y)Q(y) after this transformation is given by the Resolvent, Res[P(x),y−x2−Ax−B](y)\mathrm{Res}[P(x), y-x^2-Ax-B](y):

Q(y)=y5+y4(Ap1−5B−p12+2p2)+y3(A2p2−4ABp1−Ap1p2+3Ap3+10B2+4Bp12−8Bp2−2p1p3+p22+2p4)+…\begin{aligned} Q(y) &= y^{5} + y^{4} \left(A p_{1} - 5 B - p_{1}^{2} + 2 p_{2}\right) \\ &+ y^{3} \left(A^{2} p_{2} - 4 A B p_{1} - A p_{1} p_{2} + 3 A p_{3} + 10 B^{2} + 4 B p_{1}^{2} - 8 B p_{2} - 2 p_{1} p_{3} + p_{2}^{2} + 2 p_{4}\right) + \ldots \end{aligned}
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Solving for the coefficients AA and BB, we find

A=5B+p12−2p2p1B=p12p2+3p1p3−4p22±p18p13p3−3p12p22+16p12p4−38p1p2p3+12p23−40p2p4+45p3252(2p12−5p2) .\begin{aligned} A &= \frac{5 B + p_{1}^{2} - 2 p_{2}}{p_{1}} \\ B &=\frac{p_{1}^{2} p_{2} + 3 p_{1} p_{3} - 4 p_{2}^{2} \pm p_{1} \sqrt{\frac{8 p_{1}^{3} p_{3} - 3 p_{1}^{2} p_{2}^{2} + 16 p_{1}^{2} p_{4} - 38 p_{1} p_{2} p_{3} + 12 p_{2}^{3} - 40 p_{2} p_{4} + 45 p_{3}^{2}}5} }{2\left(2 p_{1}^{2} - 5 p_{2}\right)} \,. \end{aligned}
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Therefore, at the expense of a single square root, we can trade any general quintic for a principal quintic of the form

Q(y)=0whereQ(y)=y5+5α y2+5β y+γQ(y) = 0 \quad{\rm where}\quad Q(y) = y^5 + 5\alpha\, y^2 + 5\beta\, y + \gamma

for some α\alpha, β\beta, γ\gamma computable in terms of the original pip_i. (The factors of 5 are included for later convenience.)

From Brioschi and Principal Quintics to the Icosahedral Equation

Returning to the Brioschi quintic, we wish to show that every Brioschi quintic can be associated with a corresponding principal quintic by transforming the roots as follows:

yr=Wr(σ+τ tr)y_r = W_r \left(\sigma + \tau\,t_r\right)

where Wr(u,v)W_r(u,v) is the polynomial invariant for the faces of the rr-th inscribed octahedron:

Wr(u,v)=ϵ20−4r u8−ϵ15−3r u7v+7 ϵ10−2r u6v2+7 ϵ5−r u5v3−7 ϵr u3v5+7 ϵ2r u2v6+ϵ3r uv7+ϵ4r v8 .\begin{aligned} W_r(u,v) &= \epsilon^{20-4r}\,u^8 - \epsilon^{15-3r}\,u^7v+ 7\,\epsilon^{10-2r}\,u^6v^2+7\,\epsilon^{5-r}\,u^5v^3 \\ &\quad -7\,\epsilon^{r}\,u^3v^5+7\,\epsilon^{2r}\,u^2v^6 + \epsilon^{3r}\,uv^7 +\epsilon^{4r}\,v^8\,. \end{aligned}

(Recall that the roots of the original, Brioschi quintic were given by t~r:=−f2 tr/T\tilde t_r := -f^2\,t_r/T and so

yr=Wr(σ−T τf2 t~r)y_r = W_r\left(\sigma - \frac{T\,\tau}{f^2}\,\tilde t_r\right)

in terms of the t~r\tilde t_r’s.)

Summing over rr, we find that both ∑rYr\sum_r Y_r and ∑rYr2\sum_r Y_r^2 vanish:

Expanding the polynomial Py:=∏r(y−yr)P_y:= \prod_r(y-y_r), we find a principal quintic with

α=−8 f2 σ3−T σ2τ−72 f3 στ2−fT τ3β=H[f σ4−18 f2 σ2τ2−T στ3−27 f3 τ4]γ=−H2[σ5−10 f σ3τ2+45 f2 στ4 +T τ5]\begin{aligned} \alpha &= -8\,f^2\,\sigma^3 - T\, \sigma^2\tau -72\,f^3\, \sigma\tau^2-fT\,\tau^3 \\ \beta &= H \left[f\,\sigma^4 - 18\,f^2\,\sigma^2\tau^2- T\,\sigma\tau^3-27\,f^3\,\tau^4\right]\\ \gamma &= - H^2 \left[ \sigma^5-10\,f\,\sigma^3\tau^2+45\,f^2\,\sigma\tau^4\,+T\,\tau^5\right] \end{aligned}
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Since we will want the coefficients to have weight zero in uu, vv (so that they depend only on the ratio z=u/vz = u/v), we will find it convenient to instead use

yr=W~r(λ−μ t~r)whereW~r:=Wr fH ,t~r=−tr f2Ty_r = \tilde W_r \left(\lambda - \mu\,\tilde t_r\right)\qquad{\rm where}\quad \tilde W_r := \frac{W_r\,f}H \,,\quad \tilde t_r = -\frac{t_r\,f^2}T

since W~r\tilde W_r, xrx_r are explicitly degree-zero in uu, vv. From here, we wish to show that, for every choice of (α,β,γ)(\alpha,\beta,\gamma) defining a principal quintic, there’s a corresponding choice of (λ,μ,z)(\lambda,\mu,z) reproducing the same polynomial. As it turns out, solving for λ\lambda, μ\mu can be done using radicals (namely, a single square-root), whereas selecting the appropriate zz will require solving the Icosahedral Equation (to be defined shortly).

Switching to homogenous variables (λ,μ)(\lambda,\mu) we find

123 I(z) α=8 λ3+λ2μ−72 B(z) λμ2−B(z) μ3123 I(z) β=−λ4−18 B(z) λ2μ2−B(z) λμ3+27 B2(z) μ4123 I(z) γ=λ5+10 B(z) λ3μ2+45 B2(z) λμ4+B2(z) μ5\begin{aligned} 12^3\,I(z) \, \alpha &= 8\,\lambda^3 + \lambda^2\mu - 72\,B(z)\,\lambda\mu^2 - B(z)\,\mu^3 \\ 12^3\,I(z) \, \beta &= - \lambda^4 -18\,B(z)\,\lambda^2\mu^2 - B(z)\,\lambda\mu^3 + 27\,B^2(z)\,\mu^4 \\ 12^3\,I(z) \, \gamma &= \lambda^5 + 10\,B(z)\,\lambda^3\mu^2 + 45\,B^2(z)\,\lambda\mu^4 + B^2(z)\,\mu^5 \end{aligned}

where, as before, B(z):=−f5(z,1)/T2(z,1)B(z) := -f^5(z,1)/T^2(z,1).

Combining these equations, we notice that they satisfy

$$

\lambda,\beta + \gamma = -B(z),\mu^2,\alpha ,.

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Similarly, we can the compute a second combination and find

λ γ+μ2B(z)β=(λ2+3 B(z) μ2)3123 I(z)\lambda\,\gamma+\mu^2B(z)\beta = \frac{\left(\lambda^2+3\,B(z)\,\mu^2\right)^3}{12^3\,I(z)}
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We can obtain the same combination using the α\alpha and β\beta equations as follows:

27 α2+(λ α+8 β)2μ2B(z)=(λ2+3 B(z) μ2)3123 I(z)27\,\alpha^2 + \frac{(\lambda\,\alpha + 8\,\beta)^2}{\mu^2 B(z)} = \frac{\left(\lambda^2+3\,B(z)\,\mu^2\right)^3}{12^3\,I(z)}
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Equating these cubic terms, we find a quadratic expression in λ\lambda, from which we can eliminate μ2B(z)\mu^2 B(z) using eq. mu^2 B and find

(α4−β3+αβγ)λ2+(αγ2−2 β2γ−11 α3β)λ+64 α2β2−27 α3γ−βγ2=0 .\left(\alpha^4-\beta^3+\alpha\beta\gamma\right)\lambda^2 + \left(\alpha\gamma^2-2\,\beta^2\gamma-11\,\alpha^3\beta\right)\lambda + 64\,\alpha^2\beta^2-27\,\alpha^3\gamma-\beta\gamma^2 =0 \,.
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At this point, we see that a second square root must be taken to determine λ\lambda in terms of the values (α,β,γ)(\alpha,\beta,\gamma) in the principal polynomial. Interestingly, the discriminant of the quadratic above,

Δ:=α2(γ4+256 β5−320 αβ3γ+90 α2βγ2−135 α4β2+108 α5γ) ,\Delta := \alpha^2\left(\gamma^4 + 256\,\beta^5-320\,\alpha\beta^3\gamma+90\,\alpha^2\beta\gamma^2-135\,\alpha^4\beta^2+108\,\alpha^5\gamma\right) \,,

is proportional to the discriminant DD of the principal quintic:

D:=(−1)n(n−1)/2 Res[Q(y),Q′(y)]=55α2 Δ .D := (-1)^{n(n-1)/2} \, \mathrm{Res}[Q(y),Q'(y)] = \frac{5^5}{\alpha^2}\,\Delta \,.
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Denoting the solutions to the quadratic equation for λ\lambda as λ±\lambda_\pm, we can now write

$$ \mu^2B(z) = -\frac1\alpha\left(\beta,\lambda_\pm+\gamma\right) ,,

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which allows us to solve for I(z)I(z) in terms of the coefficients of the principal quintic: $$

I(z) = I_0 := \frac{(\alpha\lambda_\pm^2-3,\beta\lambda_\pm-3\gamma)^3}{12^3\alpha^2(\alpha\gamma\lambda_\pm-\beta^2\lambda_\pm-\beta\gamma)} ,.

$$

(Note that I(z)I(z) has scaling dimension of zero in yy, since [α]=[y]3[\alpha]=[y]^3, [β]=[y]4[\beta]=[y]^4, [γ]=[y]5[\gamma] = [y]^5, and [λ±]=[y][\lambda_\pm]=[y].)

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Once I(z)I(z) is known, the syzygy ensures that B(z)=1/123(I(z)−1)B(z) = 1/12^3(I(z)-1) (away from the edge midpoints, where I(z)=1I(z) = 1) which allows us to solve for μ\mu as well (at the expense of one last square root in Eq. (29)):

μ=μ±:=±−βλ±−γαB(z0) ,\mu = \mu_\pm := \pm\sqrt{\frac{-\beta\lambda_\pm-\gamma}{\alpha B(z_0)}} \,,

once we have some z0z_0 satisfying I(z0)=I0I(z_0) = I_0. All in all, the roots yry_r of the principal quintic polynomial are given by

y=yr:=Wr(z0,1)f(z0,1)H(z0,1)(λ±+μ± tr(z0,1)f2(z0,1)T(z0,1)) .y = y_r := \frac{W_r(z_0,1)f(z_0,1)}{H(z_0,1)}\left(\lambda_\pm + \mu_\pm\,\frac{t_r(z_0,1)f^2(z_0,1)}{T(z_0,1)}\right) \,.

Inverting the map I(z0)=I0I(z_0) = I_0 to determine z0z_0 (given some I0I_0 computed in terms of α\alpha, β\beta, and γ\gamma) is the topic to which we now turn our attention.

Solving the Icosahedral Equation

The last step is to show how the equation I(z=z0)=I0I(z=z_0) = I_0 can be inverted to determine z0:=ϕ(I=I0)z_0 := \phi(I=I_0) where ϕ:=I−1\phi := I^{-1}. As we shall see, this can only be achieved up to a Mobiüs transformation, but that is sufficient, since once a single value for zz is determined, then all five roots are identified using

yr=Wr(z0,1)f(z0,1)H(z0,1)(λ±+μ± tr(z0,1)f2(z0,1)T(z0,1)) .y_r = \frac{W_r(z_0,1)f(z_0,1)}{H(z_0,1)} \left(\lambda_\pm + \mu_\pm\,\frac{t_r(z_0,1)f^2(z_0,1)}{T(z_0,1)}\right) \,.
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