# Prove that $\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}\sin\frac{k \pi}{n} = \frac{n}{2^{n-1}}$

Using $\text{n}^{\text{th}}$ root of unity

$$\large\left(e^{\frac{2ki\pi}{n}}\right)^{n} = 1$$

Prove that

$$\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}\sin\frac{k \pi}{n} = \frac{n}{2^{n-1}}$$

#### Solutions Collecting From Web of "Prove that $\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}\sin\frac{k \pi}{n} = \frac{n}{2^{n-1}}$"

$$P=\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}\sin(k\pi/n)=(2i)^{1-n}\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(e^{ik\pi/n}-e^{-ik\pi/n})=(2i)^{1-n}e^{-i\pi n(n-1)/(2n)}\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(e^{2ik\pi/n}-1)=$$
$$(-2)^{1-n}\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(\xi^k-1)=2^{1-n}\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(1-\xi^k),$$
where $\xi=e^{2i\pi/n}$. Now note, that $x^n-1=(x-1)\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}x^k$ and $x^n-1=\prod_{k=0}^{n-1} (x-\xi^k)$, thus cancelling $x-1$ we have $\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} (x-\xi^k) =\sum_{k=0}^{n-1}x^k$. Substituting $x=1$ we have $\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} (1-\xi^k)=n$. Therefore $P=n2^{1-n}$.

Edit:
In order to note that $x^n-1=\prod_{k=0}^{n-1} (x-\xi^k)$, note that $1,\xi,\dots,\xi^{n-1}$ are roots of $x^n-1$. Therefore by polynomial reminder theorem we have $x^n-1=Q(x) \prod_{k=0}^{n-1} (x-\xi^k)$. Comparing degrees of L.H.S. and R.H.S. we can find, that $Q(x)$ has degree $0$. Comparing highest coefficients we can conclude $Q(x)=1$.

Here is a more “1st principles” pf. I use a hint in Marsden’s book.

1st, $\cos(A-B)-\cos(A+B)=2\sin A \sin B$ (1), which follows by angle summation formulas.

Next, we use Marsden’s hint to consider roots of $(1-z)^n-1$. These satisfy

$$(1-z)^n=1 \leftrightarrow (1-z) \in \left\{\cos \frac{2 \pi k}{n}+i \sin \frac{2\pi k}{n}:k=0,…,n-1 \right\}$$

(the set of nth roots of 1)

$$\leftrightarrow z \in \left\{z_k= 1-\cos \frac{2 \pi k}{n}-i \sin \frac{2\pi k}{n}:k=0,…,n-1\right\}\;\;\; (2)$$.

Since $z_0,….,z_{n-1}$ are the roots of $(1-z)^n-1$, we have by factorization that

$$(1-z)^n-1=\prod_{k=0}^{n-1}(z_k-z)=-z \prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(z_k-z) \;\;(3)$$ (since, by (2), $z_0=0$)

In (3), the LHS and RHS are polynomials in z. Equating the coeffs in front of z, we get

$$-n=-\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}z_k \leftrightarrow n=\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}z_k\,.$$

Note

$$\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} \bar{z}_k=\overline{\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}z_k}=n$$

(since $n\in \mathbb{R}$), so

$$\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}|z_k|^2=\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} z_k \bar{z}_k=\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} z_k \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} \bar{z}_k=n^2\;\; (4).$$

Next,

$$|z_k|^2=(1-\cos \frac{2 \pi k}{n})^2+ \sin^2 \frac{2\pi k}{n}=2(1-\cos \frac{2 \pi k}{n})$$

using this in (4) gives

$$2^{n-1} \prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(1-\cos \frac{2 \pi k}{n})=n^2\;\;(5)$$.

Next,

$$(\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} \sin \frac{k \pi}{n})^2=\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} \sin \frac{k \pi}{n} \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} \sin \frac{(n-k) \pi}{n}=\prod_{k=1}^{n-1} \sin \frac{k \pi}{n} \sin \frac{(n-k) \pi}{n}=$$

(where in the last 2 steps, we exploit that the order of taking a product doesn’t matter)

$$=\frac{1}{2^{n-1}} \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} (\cos \frac{(n-2k) \pi}{n}-\cos \pi)=$$

(by (1))

$$=\frac{1}{2^{n-1}} \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} (1-\cos \frac{2k \pi}{n})=$$

(using $\cos (\pi -x)=-\cos x$)

$$=n^2 /2^{2(n-1)}\;.$$ Applying a sqrt to everything gives the desired result.

Consider $z^n=1$, each root is
$$\xi_k = cos\frac{2k\pi}{n} + isin\frac{2k\pi}{n} = e^{i\frac{2k\pi}{n}}, k=0,1,2,…,n-1$$
So, we have
$$z^n -1 = \prod_{k=0}^{n-1}(z-\xi_k)$$
$$\Longrightarrow (z-1)(z^{n-1}+…+z^2+z+1) = (z-\xi_0)\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(z-\xi_k)$$
$$\Longrightarrow (z-1)(z^{n-1}+…+z^2+z+1) = (z-1)\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(z-\xi_k)$$
$$\Longrightarrow z^{n-1}+…+z^2+z+1 = \prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(z-\xi_k)$$
By substituting z=1, $$\Longrightarrow n = \prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(1-\xi_k)$$

Next, take the modulus on both sides,
$$|n| = n = |\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}(1-\xi_k)| = \prod_{k=1}^{n-1}|(1-\xi_k)|$$
$$1 – \xi_k = 1-(cos\frac{2k\pi}{n} + isin\frac{2k\pi}{n}) = 2sin\frac{k\pi}{n}(sin\frac{k\pi}{n} -icos\frac{k\pi}{n})$$
$$|1 – \xi_k| = 2sin\frac{k\pi}{n}$$
So,
$$n = 2^{n-1}\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}sin\frac{k\pi}{n}$$
$$\prod_{k=1}^{n-1}sin\frac{k\pi}{n} = \frac{n}{2^{n-1}}$$