Olympiad problems

2008 ISI B.Math Entrance Exam, 2

Tags: polynomial , algebra

Suppose that $P(x)$ is a polynomial with real coefficients, such that for some positive real numbers $c$ and $d$, and for all natural numbers $n$, we have $c|n|^3\leq |P(n)|\leq d|n|^3$. Prove that $P(x)$ has a real zero.

2023 Germany Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let $P$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients. Assume that there exists a positive integer $n$ with $P(n^2)=2022$. Prove that there cannot be a positive rational number $r$ with $P(r^2)=2024$.

1990 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 533

Tags: cubic , polynomial , game , game strategy , algebra , integer root

A game is played in three moves. The first player picks any real number, then the second player makes it the coefficient of a cubic, except that the coefficient of $x^3$ is already fixed at $1$. Can the first player make his choices so that the final cubic has three distinct integer roots?

2007 Iran Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , polynomial , number theory

Does there exist a a sequence $a_{0},a_{1},a_{2},\dots$ in $\mathbb N$, such that for each $i\neq j, (a_{i},a_{j})=1$, and for each $n$, the polynomial $\sum_{i=0}^{n}a_{i}x^{i}$ is irreducible in $\mathbb Z[x]$? [i]By Omid Hatami[/i]

2024 Belarusian National Olympiad, 10.5

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let $n$ be a positive integer. On the blackboard all quadratic polynomials with positive integer coefficients, that do not exceed $n$, without real roots are written Find all $n$ for which the number of written polynomials is even [i]A. Voidelevich[/i]

1989 India National Olympiad, 2

Tags: polynomial , vieta , algebra

Let $ a,b,c$ and $ d$ be any four real numbers, not all equal to zero. Prove that the roots of the polynomial $ f(x) \equal{} x^{6} \plus{} ax^{3} \plus{} bx^{2} \plus{} cx \plus{} d$ can't all be real.

1985 IMO Shortlist, 3

Tags: binomial coefficient , polynomial , combinatorial inequality , combinatorics , pascal triangle

For any polynomial $P(x)=a_0+a_1x+\ldots+a_kx^k$ with integer coefficients, the number of odd coefficients is denoted by $o(P)$. For $i-0,1,2,\ldots$ let $Q_i(x)=(1+x)^i$. Prove that if $i_1,i_2,\ldots,i_n$ are integers satisfying $0\le i_1<i_2<\ldots<i_n$, then: \[ o(Q_{i_{1}}+Q_{i_{2}}+\ldots+Q_{i_{n}})\ge o(Q_{i_{1}}). \]

2010 Indonesia TST, 2

Tags: polynomial , inequalities , algebra

Consider a polynomial with coefficients of real numbers $ \phi(x)\equal{}ax^3\plus{}bx^2\plus{}cx\plus{}d$ with three positive real roots. Assume that $ \phi(0)<0$, prove that \[ 2b^3\plus{}9a^2d\minus{}7abc \le 0.\] [i]Hery Susanto, Malang[/i]

1970 Canada National Olympiad, 10

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Given the polynomial \[ f(x)=x^n+a_{1}x^{n-1}+a_{2}x^{n-2}+\cdots+a_{n-1}x+a_n \] with integer coefficients $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n$, and given also that there exist four distinct integers $a$, $b$, $c$ and $d$ such that \[ f(a)=f(b)=f(c)=f(d)=5, \] show that there is no integer $k$ such that $f(k)=8$.

2020 Brazil Team Selection Test, 4

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let $\mathbb{Z}$ denote the set of all integers. Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integer coefficients that satisfy the following property: For any infinite sequence $a_1$, $a_2$, $\dotsc$ of integers in which each integer in $\mathbb{Z}$ appears exactly once, there exist indices $i < j$ and an integer $k$ such that $a_i +a_{i+1} +\dotsb +a_j = P(k)$.

1986 IMO Longlists, 25

Tags: algebra , polynomial , system of equations , calculus

Let real numbers $x_1, x_2, \cdots , x_n$ satisfy $0 < x_1 < x_2 < \cdots< x_n < 1$ and set $x_0 = 0, x_{n+1} = 1$. Suppose that these numbers satisfy the following system of equations: \[\sum_{j=0, j \neq i}^{n+1} \frac{1}{x_i-x_j}=0 \quad \text{where } i = 1, 2, . . ., n.\] Prove that $x_{n+1-i} = 1- x_i$ for $i = 1, 2, . . . , n.$

2010 Indonesia TST, 2

Tags: polynomial , inequalities , algebra

Consider a polynomial with coefficients of real numbers $ \phi(x)\equal{}ax^3\plus{}bx^2\plus{}cx\plus{}d$ with three positive real roots. Assume that $ \phi(0)<0$, prove that \[ 2b^3\plus{}9a^2d\minus{}7abc \le 0.\] [i]Hery Susanto, Malang[/i]

2024 Vietnam National Olympiad, 1

Tags: algebra , polynomial

For each real number $x$, let $\lfloor x \rfloor$ denote the largest integer not exceeding $x$. A sequence $\{a_n \}_{n=1}^{\infty}$ is defined by $a_n = \frac{1}{4^{\lfloor -\log_4 n \rfloor}}, \forall n \geq 1.$ Let $b_n = \frac{1}{n^2} \left( \sum_{k=1}^n a_k - \frac{1}{a_1+a_2} \right), \forall n \geq 1.$ a) Find a polynomial $P(x)$ with real coefficients such that $b_n = P \left( \frac{a_n}{n} \right), \forall n \geq 1$. b) Prove that there exists a strictly increasing sequence $\{n_k \}_{k=1}^{\infty}$ of positive integers such that $$\lim_{k \to \infty} b_{n_k} = \frac{2024}{2025}.$$

2021 Estonia Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: polynomial , algebra , integer polynomial

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integral coefficients whose values at points $x = 1, 2, . . . , 2021$ are numbers $1, 2, . . . , 2021$ in some order.

1999 Kazakhstan National Olympiad, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Prove that for any odd $ n $ there exists a unique polynomial $ P (x) $ $ n $ -th degree satisfying the equation $ P \left (x- \frac {1} {x} \right) = x ^ n- \frac {1} {x ^ n}. $ Is this true for any natural number $ n $?

2021 Thailand Mathematical Olympiad, 10

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let $d\geq 13$ be an integer, and let $P(x) = a_dx^d + a_{d-1}x^{d-1} + \dots + a_1x+a_0$ be a polynomial of degree $d$ with complex coefficients such that $a_n = a_{d-n}$ for all $n\in\{0,1,\dots,d\}$. Prove that if $P$ has no double roots, then $P$ has two distinct roots $z_1$ and $z_2$ such that $|z_1-z_2|<1$.

2014 USAMO, 3

Tags: analytic geometry , linear algebra , matrix , graphing lines , polynomial

Prove that there exists an infinite set of points \[ \dots, \; P_{-3}, \; P_{-2},\; P_{-1},\; P_0,\; P_1,\; P_2,\; P_3,\; \dots \] in the plane with the following property: For any three distinct integers $a,b,$ and $c$, points $P_a$, $P_b$, and $P_c$ are collinear if and only if $a+b+c=2014$.

2009 Baltic Way, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial , number theory

Let $ n$ be a given positive integer. Show that we can choose numbers $ c_k\in\{\minus{}1,1\}$ ($ i\le k\le n$) such that \[ 0\le\sum_{k\equal{}1}^nc_k\cdot k^2\le4.\]

1999 USAMO, 3

Tags: modular arithmetic , geometry , algebra , polynomial , fractional part

Let $p > 2$ be a prime and let $a,b,c,d$ be integers not divisible by $p$, such that \[ \left\{ \dfrac{ra}{p} \right\} + \left\{ \dfrac{rb}{p} \right\} + \left\{ \dfrac{rc}{p} \right\} + \left\{ \dfrac{rd}{p} \right\} = 2 \] for any integer $r$ not divisible by $p$. Prove that at least two of the numbers $a+b$, $a+c$, $a+d$, $b+c$, $b+d$, $c+d$ are divisible by $p$. (Note: $\{x\} = x - \lfloor x \rfloor$ denotes the fractional part of $x$.)

2010 China Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , floor function , triangle inequality , inequalities

Given positive integer $n$, find the largest real number $\lambda=\lambda(n)$, such that for any degree $n$ polynomial with complex coefficients $f(x)=a_n x^n+a_{n-1} x^{n-1}+\cdots+a_0$, and any permutation $x_0,x_1,\cdots,x_n$ of $0,1,\cdots,n$, the following inequality holds $\sum_{k=0}^n|f(x_k)-f(x_{k+1})|\geq \lambda |a_n|$, where $x_{n+1}=x_0$.

2013 ELMO Shortlist, 8

Tags: counting , distinguishability , modular arithmetic , polynomial , function , number theory , algebra

We define the [i]Fibonacci sequence[/i] $\{F_n\}_{n\ge0}$ by $F_0=0$, $F_1=1$, and for $n\ge2$, $F_n=F_{n-1}+F_{n-2}$; we define the [i]Stirling number of the second kind[/i] $S(n,k)$ as the number of ways to partition a set of $n\ge1$ distinguishable elements into $k\ge1$ indistinguishable nonempty subsets. For every positive integer $n$, let $t_n = \sum_{k=1}^{n} S(n,k) F_k$. Let $p\ge7$ be a prime. Prove that \[ t_{n+p^{2p}-1} \equiv t_n \pmod{p} \] for all $n\ge1$. [i]Proposed by Victor Wang[/i]

2016 Korea Winter Program Practice Test, 4

Tags: polynomial , algebra , number theory

$p(x)$ is an irreducible polynomial with integer coefficients, and $q$ is a fixed prime number. Let $a_n$ be a number of solutions of the equation $p(x)\equiv 0\mod q^n$. Prove that we can find $M$ such that $\{a_n\}_{n\ge M}$ is constant.

2003 Romania National Olympiad, 4

Tags: linear algebra , matrix , polynomial , adjugate , algebra

Let be a $ 3\times 3 $ real matrix $ A. $ Prove the following statements. [b]a)[/b] $ f(A)\neq O_3, $ for any polynomials $ f\in\mathbb{R} [X] $ whose roots are not real. [b]b)[/b] $ \exists n\in\mathbb{N}\quad \left( A+\text{adj} (A) \right)^{2n} =\left( A \right)^{2n} +\left( \text{adj} (A) \right)^{2n}\iff \text{det} (A)=0 $ [i]Laurențiu Panaitopol[/i]

2010 AMC 12/AHSME, 23

Tags: quadratic , algebra , polynomial , symmetry , vieta

Monic quadratic polynomials $ P(x)$ and $ Q(x)$ have the property that $ P(Q(x))$ has zeroes at $ x\equal{}\minus{}23,\minus{}21,\minus{}17, \text{and} \minus{}15$, and $ Q(P(x))$ has zeroes at $ x\equal{}\minus{}59, \minus{}57, \minus{}51, \text{and} \minus{}49$. What is the sum of the minimum values of $ P(x)$ and $ Q(x)$? $ \textbf{(A)}\ \text{\minus{}100} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ \text{\minus{}82} \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ \text{\minus{}73} \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ \text{\minus{}64} \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 0$

2021 Estonia Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: polynomial , algebra , integer polynomial

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with integral coefficients whose values at points $x = 1, 2, . . . , 2021$ are numbers $1, 2, . . . , 2021$ in some order.