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Let \(m, n \in \mathbb{N}^*\) and \(d = \gcd(m, n)\) (the integer gcd in \(\mathbb{Z}\)). The goal is to prove the identity $$ (X^n - 1) \wedge (X^m - 1) = X^d - 1 \qquad \text{in } \mathbb{C}[X] \text{ (and in } \mathbb{R}[X]\text{)}. $$
Show that for any \(n \in \mathbb{N}^*\), the complex roots of \(X^n - 1\) are the \(n\)-th roots of unity \(\{e^{2 i \pi k / n} : k = 0, 1, \dots, n - 1\}\), all simple. (You may cite the chapter
Polynomials
.)
Show that \(e^{2 i \pi k / n}\) is also an \(m\)-th root of unity iff \(n \mid k m\).
Deduce that the common complex roots of \(X^n - 1\) and \(X^m - 1\) are exactly the \(d\)-th roots of unity in \(\mathbb{C}\).
Conclude that \((X^n - 1) \wedge (X^m - 1) = X^d - 1\) in \(\mathbb{C}[X]\), and that the same identity holds in \(\mathbb{R}[X]\).
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