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Exercise 834Algebra › Complex numbersL1Added 3 Nov 2026

The $n$-th roots of unity

#roots of unity#De Moivre#cyclic group

Statement

Find all nn-th roots of unity, i.e. all z∈Cz\in\mathbb{C} with zn=1z^n=1.

Hint

Write z=reiθz=re^{i\theta} and solve rneinθ=1r^n e^{in\theta}=1.

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Solution

Modulus. rn=1r^n=1, r≥0r\ge0, so r=1r=1.

Argument. nθ≡0(mod2π)n\theta\equiv0\pmod{2\pi}, so θ=2kπ/n\theta=2k\pi/n, k∈Zk\in\mathbb{Z}.

Distinct roots. For k=0,1,…,n−1k=0,1,\ldots,n-1, the roots are
zk=e2ikπ/n.z_k=e^{2ik\pi/n}.
Other values of kk give the same roots modulo nn.

Conclusion. The nn-th roots of unity are {e2ikπ/n:k=0,…,n−1}\{e^{2ik\pi/n}: k=0,\ldots,n-1\}. They form a cyclic group of order nn under multiplication.