cp's OEIS Frontend

The minimal polynomials of the algebraic number s(n) = 2*sin(Pi/n) of degree gamma(n) = A055035(n) = A093819(2*n) has the zeros 2*cos(2*Pi*T(n,m)/c(2*n)), with c(2*n) = A178182(2*n), for m = 1, 2, ..., gamma(n) and n >= 1.

The number s(n) is the length ratio side(n)/R of the regular n-gon inscribed in a circle of radius R.

The motivation to look at these zeros came from the book of Carl Schick, and the paper by Brändli and Beyne. There, only length ratios diagonals/R in 2*(2*m + 1)-gons, for m >= 1, are considered.

If one is interested in length ratios diagonals/side then the minimal polynomials of rho(n) := 2*cos(Pi/n) (smallest diagonal/side) are important. These are given in A187360, called there C(n, x).

Also degree of minimal polynomial of function F(n)=(gamma(1/n)*gamma((n-1)/n))/Pi over the rationals. Roots of minimal polynomials of F(n) belonging to algebraic extension of sin(n/Pi) and vice versa (e.g. gamma(1/11)*gamma(10/11)/Pi = 20*sin(Pi/11) - 112*sin(Pi/11)^3 + 256*sin(Pi/11)^5 - 256*sin(Pi/11)^7 + (1024*sin(Pi/11)^9)/11). - Artur Jasinski, Oct 17 2011

The algebraic numbers sin(Pi/(2*l)) are given in A228783 in the power basis of the number field Q(2*cos(Pi/(2*l))) if n is even and of Q(2*cos(Pi/l)) if l is odd. In A228785, sin(Pi/(2*l+1)) is given in the power basis of Q(2*cos(Pi/(2*(2*l+1)))) (only odd powers appear). The minimal polynomials for 2*sin(Pi/n), n>=1, are given in A228786. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 10 2013

The minimal polynomials of cos(2*Pi/n) are treated, e.g. in the Lehmer, Niven and Watkins-Zeitlin references. Lehmer and Niven call them psi_n(x) (eq. (1) and Lemma 3.8, p.37, respectively). In the latter reference they are called Psi_n(x), and we call them Psi(n,x). By definition (Niven, p. 28) these are monic, rational polynomials which have as a root cos(2*Pi/n) and are of minimal degree. They are irreducible (Niven p. 37, Lemma 3.8). See also A181875 for more details and a link with Psi(n,x), n=1..30.

The minimal polynomials of sin(2*Pi/n) are treated, e.g. in the Lehmer and Niven references. Lehmer's theorem 2 is, however, incorrect. See A181872 and the link there for a counterexample. In this link one can also find these polynomials, called Pi(n,x), for n=1..30.

The sequence a(n) translates these polynomials: Pi(n,x) = Psi(a(n),x), n >= 1. This translation is based on the trigonometric identity: sin(2*Pi/n) = cos(2*Pi*r(n)), with r(n):=|(4-n)/(4*n)|.

a(n):=denominator(r(n)) (in lowest terms). Note that the degrees agree with those given in the Niven reference, Theorem 3.9, p. 37.

In the regular (2*l+1)-gon, l >= 1, inscribed in a circle of radius R the length ratio side/R is s(2*l+1) = 2*sin(Pi/(2*l+1)). This can be written as a polynomial in the length ratio (smallest diagonal)/side in the (2*(2*l+1))-gon given by rho(2*(2*l+1)) = 2*cos(Pi/(2*(2*l+1))). This leads, in a first step, to the signed triangle A111125. Because of the minimal polynomial of the algebraic number rho(2*(2*l+1)) of degree delta(2*(2*l+1)) = A055034(2*(2*l+1)), called C(2*(2*l+1),x) (with coefficients given in A187360), one can eliminate all powers rho(2*(2*l+1))^k with k >= delta(2*(2*l+1)) by using C(2*(2*l+1),rho(2*(2*l+1))) = 0. This leads to the present table expressing s(2*(l+1)) in terms of odd powers of rho(2*(2*l+1)) with maximal exponent delta(2*(2*l+1))-1.

This table gives the coefficients of s(2*l+1), related to the (2*l+1)-gon, in the power basis of the algebraic number field Q(rho(2*(2*l+1))) of degree delta(2*(2*l+1)), related to rho from the (2*(2*l+1))-gon, provided one inserts zeros for the even powers, starting each row with a zero and filling zeros at the end in order to obtain the row length delta(2*(2*l+1)). Note that some trailing zeros in the present table (e.g., row l = 10) have been given such that the row length for the s(2*l+1) coefficients in the power basis Q(rho(2*(2*l+1))) becomes just twice the one of this table.

Thanks go to Seppo Mustonen for telling me about his findings regarding the square of the sum of all length in the regular n-gon, which led me to consider this entry (even though for odd n this is not needed because only s(2*l+1)^2 = 4 - rho(2*l+1)^2 enters).

In the regular (2*l)-gon inscribed in a circle of radius R the length ratio side/R is s(2*l) = 2*sin(Pi/(2*l)). This can be written as a polynomial in the length ratio (smallest diagonal)/side given by rho(2*l) = 2*cos(Pi/(2*l)). (For the 2-gon there is no such diagonal and rho(2) = 0). This leads, in a first step, to the triangle A127672 (see the Oct 05 2013 comment there referring also to the bisections signed A111125 and A127677). Because the minimal polynomial of the algebraic number rho(2*l) of degree delta(2*l) = A055034(2*l), called C(2*l,x) (with coefficients given in A187360) one can eliminate all powers rho(2*l)^k with k >= delta(2*l) by using C(2*l,rho(2*l)) = 0. Furthermore, because for odd l only even powers of rho(2*l) appear, but rho(2*l)^2 = 2 + rho(l), one will obtain a reduced table for s(2*l) with powers rho(2*l)^(2*k+1), k= 0, ..., (delta(2*l)-2)/2 if l is even, and with powers rho(l)^m, m=0, ... , delta(l)-1 if l is odd.

This leads to a reduction of the triangle A127672, when applied for the s(2*l) computation, giving the present table with row length delta(4*L) = A055034(4*L) = phi(8*L)/2 if l =2*L, if L >= 1, and phi(2*L+1)/2 = A055035(4*L+2), if l = 2*L + 1, L >= 1, where phi(n) = A000010(n) (Euler totient).

This table gives the coefficients of s(2*l) in the power basis of the algebraic number field Q(rho(2*l)) of degree delta(2*l) = A055034(2*l) if l is even, and in Q(rho(l)) of degree delta(2*l)/2 if l is odd. s(2) and s(6) are rational integers of degree 1.

Thanks go to Seppo Mustonen whose question about the square of the sum of all length in a regular n-gon, led me to this computation.

If l = 2*L+1, L >= 0, that is n == 2 (mod 4), one can obtain s(2*l) more directly in powers of rho(l) by s(2*l) = R(l-1, rho(l)) (mod C(l,rho(l))), with the monic (except for l=1) Chebyshev T-polynomials, called R, in A127672, and the C polynomials from A187360. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 10 2013