$\cos {{2\pi } \over 7} + \cos {{4\pi } \over 7} + \cos {{6\pi } \over 7} = {{\sin 3\left( {{\pi \over 7}} \right)} \over {\sin {\pi \over 7}}}\cos {{\left( {{{2\pi } \over 7} + {{6\pi } \over 7}} \right)} \over 2}$ $= {{\sin \left( {{{3\pi } \over 7}} \right)\,.\,\cos \left( {{{4\pi } \over 7}} \right)} \over {\sin \left( {{\pi \over 7}} \right)}}$ $= {{2\sin {{4\pi } \over 7}\cos {{4\pi } \over 7}} \over {2\sin {\pi \over 7}}}$ $= {{\sin \left( {{{8\pi } \over 7}} \right)} \over {2\sin {\pi \over 7}}} = {{ - \sin {\pi \over 7}} \over {2\sin {\pi \over 7}}} = {{ - 1} \over 2}$