Olympiad problems

2018 Hong Kong TST, 1

Does there exist a polynomial $P(x)$ with integer coefficients such that $P(1+\sqrt[3]{2})=1+\sqrt[3]{2}$ and $P(1+\sqrt5)=2+3\sqrt5$?

1976 Bulgaria National Olympiad, Problem 2

Tags: fe , functional equation , algebra , Polynomials

Find all polynomials $p(x)$ satisfying the condition: $$p(x^2-2x)=p(x-2)^2.$$

1997 China Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , polynomial , inequalities , Vieta , induction , algebra unsolved , Polynomials

Find all real-coefficient polynomials $f(x)$ which satisfy the following conditions: [b]i.[/b] $f(x) = a_0 x^{2n} + a_2 x^{2n - 2} + \cdots + a_{2n - 2} x^2 + a_{2n}, a_0 > 0$; [b]ii.[/b] $\sum_{j=0}^n a_{2j} a_{2n - 2j} \leq \left( \begin{array}{c} 2n\\ n\end{array} \right) a_0 a_{2n}$; [b]iii.[/b] All the roots of $f(x)$ are imaginary numbers with no real part.

2014 BMT Spring, P2

Tags: Polynomials

Define $\eta(f)$ to be the number of roots that are repeated of the complex-valued polynomial $f$ (e.g. $\eta((x-1)^3\cdot(x+1)^4)=5$). Prove that for nonconstant, relatively prime $f,g\in\mathbb C[x]$, $$\eta(f)+\eta(g)+\eta(f+g)<\deg f+\deg g$$

2013 VJIMC, Problem 3

Tags: algebra , number theory , Polynomials

Prove that there is no polynomial $P$ with integer coefficients such that $P\left(\sqrt[3]5+\sqrt[3]{25}\right)=5+\sqrt[3]5$.

1998 Romania Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: trigonometry , algebra proposed , algebra , Polynomials

The lateral surface of a cylinder of revolution is divided by $n-1$ planes parallel to the base and $m$ parallel generators into $mn$ cases $( n\ge 1,m\ge 3)$. Two cases will be called neighbouring cases if they have a common side. Prove that it is possible to write a real number in each case such that each number is equal to the sum of the numbers of the neighbouring cases and not all the numbers are zero if and only if there exist integers $k,l$ such that $n+1$ does not divide $k$ and \[ \cos \frac{2l\pi}{m}+\cos\frac{k\pi}{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}\] [i]Ciprian Manolescu[/i]

2016 Kyrgyzstan National Olympiad, 5

Tags: Polynomials , algebra , polynomial

Given two monic polynomials $P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ with degrees 2016. $P(x)=Q(x)$ has no real root. [b]Prove that P(x)=Q(x+1) has at least one real root.[/b]

2017 Azerbaijan EGMO TST, 3

Tags: algebra , Polynomials , Real Roots

The degree of the polynomial $P(x)$ is $2017.$ Prove that the number of distinct real roots of the equation $P(P(x)) = 0$ is not less than the number of distinct real roots of the equation $P(x) = 0.$

1979 Romania Team Selection Tests, 4.

Tags: algebra , Polynomials , polynomial , quadratics , inequalities

Give an example of a second degree polynomial $P\in \mathbb{R}[x]$ such that \[\forall x\in \mathbb{R}\text{ with } |x|\leqslant 1: \; \left|P(x)+\frac{1}{x-4}\right| \leqslant 0.01.\] Are there linear polynomials with this property? [i]Octavian Stănășilă[/i]

2024 India Iran Friendly Math Competition, 3

Tags: algebra , Polynomials , polynomial

Let $n \ge 3$ be an integer. Let $\mathcal{P}$ denote the set of vertices of a regular $n$-gon on the plane. A polynomial $f(x, y)$ of two variables with real coefficients is called $\textit{regular}$ if $$\mathcal{P} = \{(u, v) \in \mathbb{R}^2 \, | \, f(u, v) = 0 \}.$$ Find the smallest possible value of the degree of a regular polynomial. [i]Proposed by Navid Safaei[/i]

2014 BMT Spring, 10

Tags: Polynomials

Suppose that $x^3-x+10^{-6}=0$. Suppose that $x_1<x_2<x_3$ are the solutions for $x$. Find the integers $(a,b,c)$ closest to $10^8x_1$, $10^8x_2$, and $10^8x_3$ respectively.

2005 VJIMC, Problem 3

Tags: Polynomials , fe , functional equation , Functional Equations , algebra

Find all reals $\lambda$ for which there is a nonzero polynomial $P$ with real coefficients such that $$\frac{P(1)+P(3)+P(5)+\ldots+P(2n-1)}n=\lambda P(n)$$for all positive integers $n$, and find all such polynomials for $\lambda=2$.

2014 BMT Spring, 7

Tags: Polynomials

Let $f(x)=x^2+18$ have roots $r_1$ and $r_2$, and let $g(x)=x^2-8x+17$ have roots $r_3$ and $r_4$. If $h(x)=x^4+ax^3+bx^2+cx+d$ has roots $r_1+r_3$, $r_1+r_4$, $r_2+r_3$, and $r_2+r_4$, then find $h(4)$.

1985 Bulgaria National Olympiad, Problem 2

Tags: algebra , Polynomials

Find all real parameters $a$ for which all the roots of the equation $$x^6+3x^5+(6-a)x^4+(7-2a)x^3+(6-a)x^2+3x+1$$are real.

2023 Turkey Olympic Revenge, 3

Tags: number theory , olympic revenge , Polynomials , sum of digits

Find all polynomials $P$ with integer coefficients such that $$s(x)=s(y) \implies s(|P(x)|)=s(|P(y)|).$$ for all $x,y\in \mathbb{N}$. Note: $s(x)$ denotes the sum of digits of $x$. [i]Proposed by Şevket Onur YILMAZ[/i]

2023 Romanian Master of Mathematics, 5

Tags: Polynomials , RMM 2023 , number theory , algebra

Let $P,Q,R,S$ be non constant polynomials with real coefficients, such that $P(Q(x))=R(S(x)) $ and the degree of $P$ is multiple of the degree of $R. $ Prove that there exists a polynomial $T$ with real coefficients such that $$\displaystyle P(x)=R(T(x))$$

2011 VJIMC, Problem 4

Tags: fe , functional equation , Polynomials , irreducibility , algebra

Find all $\mathbb Q$-linear maps $\Phi:\mathbb Q[x]\to\mathbb Q[x]$ such that for any irreducible polynomial $p\in\mathbb Q[x]$ the polynomial $\Phi(p)$ is also irreducible.

1979 Bulgaria National Olympiad, Problem 4

Tags: quadratics , parameterization , function , Polynomials , algebra

For each real number $k$, denote by $f(k)$ the larger of the two roots of the quadratic equation $$(k^2+1)x^2+10kx-6(9k^2+1)=0.$$Show that the function $f(k)$ attains a minimum and maximum and evaluate these two values.

1992 India Regional Mathematical Olympiad, 1

Tags: inequalities , algebra , Polynomials

Determine the set of integers $n$ for which $n^2+19n+92$ is a square.

1990 Bulgaria National Olympiad, Problem 3

Tags: function , Polynomials , number theory

Let $n=p_1p_2\cdots p_s$, where $p_1,\ldots,p_s$ are distinct odd prime numbers. (a) Prove that the expression $$F_n(x)=\prod\left(x^{\frac n{p_{i_1}\cdots p_{i_k}}}-1\right)^{(-1)^k},$$where the product goes over all subsets $\{p_{i_1},\ldots,p_{i_k}\}$ or $\{p_1,\ldots,p_s\}$ (including itself and the empty set), can be written as a polynomial in $x$ with integer coefficients. (b) Prove that if $p$ is a prime divisor of $F_n(2)$, then either $p\mid n$ or $n\mid p-1$.

2018 India National Olympiad, 4

Tags: algebra , Polynomials , Divisibility , Roots of a polynomial

Find all polynomials with real coefficients $P(x)$ such that $P(x^2+x+1)$ divides $P(x^3-1)$.

1988 Bulgaria National Olympiad, Problem 6

Tags: fe , Polynomials , functional equation , algebra

Find all polynomials $p(x)$ satisfying $p(x^3+1)=p(x+1)^3$ for all $x$.

2023 Indonesia TST, A

Tags: algebra , polynomial , Polynomials , Integer Polynomial , integer polynomials , Indonesia , Indonesia TST

Find all Polynomial $P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ with Integer Coefficients satisfied the equation: \[Q(a+b) = \frac{P(a) - P(b)}{a - b}\] $\forall a, b \in \mathbb{Z}^+$ and $a>b$

2016 ISI Entrance Examination, 3

Tags: Polynomials

If $P(x)=x^n+a_1x^{n-1}+...+a_{n-1}$ be a polynomial with real coefficients and $a_1^2<a_2$ then prove that not all roots of $P(x)$ are real.

2020 Israel Olympic Revenge, P3

Tags: number theory , Polynomials , olympic revenge , algebra , polynomial

For each positive integer $n$, define $f(n)$ to be the least positive integer for which the following holds: For any partition of $\{1,2,\dots, n\}$ into $k>1$ disjoint subsets $A_1, \dots, A_k$, [u]all of the same size[/u], let $P_i(x)=\prod_{a\in A_i}(x-a)$. Then there exist $i\neq j$ for which \[\deg(P_i(x)-P_j(x))\geq \frac{n}{k}-f(n)\] a) Prove that there is a constant $c$ so that $f(n)\le c\cdot \sqrt{n}$ for all $n$. b) Prove that for infinitely many $n$, one has $f(n)\ge \ln(n)$.