Analyzing the Setup
Welcome, future engineer. Today, we are going to dissect a problem that, at first glance, seems like a standard summation, but it is actually a masterclass in the geometry of complex numbers. We are tasked with evaluating the sum:
S=k=1∑10(sin112πk+icos112πk)
The first thing you might notice is a slight sense of unease. We are all trained to look for the beautiful Euler form, cosθ+isinθ. But here, the imaginary unit i is attached to the cosine term! This is a classic JEE trap designed to test your attention to detail.
The Algebraic Transformation
To fix this, we must force the expression into the correct form. We factor out i from the entire bracket. When we pull i outside, the cosine term becomes isolated, which is exactly what we want.
Since i1=−i, the sine term transforms accordingly. Our expression becomes:
S=ik=1∑10(cos112πk−isin112πk)
Suddenly, the fog clears. We have successfully manipulated the expression into a form where we can apply Euler's formula, e−iθ=cosθ−isinθ. By substituting our angle θ=112πk, the expression condenses into:
The Geometry of Unity
Now, let us pause and visualize what these terms represent. These are the 11th roots of unity. Because of the minus sign, they are technically the complex conjugates, but they form the exact same set of eleven points spaced equally around the unit circle on the complex plane.
Imagine them as vertices of a regular eleven-sided polygon. There is a powerful theorem you must remember: the sum of all nth roots of unity is always exactly zero. Because they are symmetrically distributed around the origin, their vectors perfectly cancel each other out.
The Final Piece of the Puzzle
Let us write down this complete sum mathematically:
Do not rush, as our summation starts from k=1, not k=0. We must separate the first term (k=0) from the rest of the summation. When k=0, the angle is zero, which corresponds to the root e0=1.
Thus, we have:
To isolate the summation from k=1 to 10, we shift the 1 to the right side, yielding a sum of −1. Finally, we multiply this result by the i we factored out at the beginning:
Through careful manipulation and geometric insight, we have arrived at our answer. The final result is −i.