JEEAdvanced

For a complex number z with |z| = 2, find the maximum value of the…

Question

For a complex number z with |z| = 2, find the maximum value of the product |z^2 - z + 1| * |z^2 + z + 1|. Report the exact integer value.

✓ Verified answer: 21checked by our engine — not a guess

Step-by-step solution

Since (z^2 - z + 1)(z^2 + z + 1) = z^4 + z^2 + 1, we must maximize |z^4 + z^2 + 1| on |z| = 2.
Write u = z^2, so |u| = 4, and we maximize |u^2 + u + 1| with |u| = 4.

By the triangle inequality |u^2 + u + 1| <= |u|^2 + |u| + 1 = 16 + 4 + 1 = 21, with equality when u^2, u, 1 are positive real multiples of each other, i.e.

when u is a positive real number, u = 4 (z = +/-2).
Then z^4 + z^2 + 1 = 16 + 4 + 1 = 21.

Hence the maximum is 21.

Final answer21

Stuck on a problem like this?

Paste any JEE or NEET question — verified working, a confidence %, and an honest “not sure” instead of a bluff.

Solve my doubt →

More Complex Numbers solutions