Olympiad problems

1977 Germany Team Selection Test, 2

Determine the polynomials P of two variables so that: [b]a.)[/b] for any real numbers $t,x,y$ we have $P(tx,ty) = t^n P(x,y)$ where $n$ is a positive integer, the same for all $t,x,y;$ [b]b.)[/b] for any real numbers $a,b,c$ we have $P(a + b,c) + P(b + c,a) + P(c + a,b) = 0;$ [b]c.)[/b] $P(1,0) =1.$

1999 AIME Problems, 3

Tags: polynomial , vieta , quadratic , special factorizations , algebra

Find the sum of all positive integers $n$ for which $n^2-19n+99$ is a perfect square.

2004 Thailand Mathematical Olympiad, 6

Tags: polynomial , remainder , algebra

Let $f(x) = x^6 + x^5 + x^4 + x^3 + x^2 + x + 1$. Find the remainder when $f(x^7)$ is divided by $f(x)$.

1985 Traian Lălescu, 1.2

Tags: function , algebra , polynomial

Find the first degree polynomial function $ f:\mathbb{R}\longrightarrow\mathbb{R} $ that satisfy the equation $$ f(x-1)=-3x-5-f(2), $$ for all real numbers $ x. $

2023 IRN-SGP-TWN Friendly Math Competition, 6

Tags: functional equation , polynomial , polynomial with integer coeffi , algebra , number theory

$\mathbb{Z}[x]$ represents the set of all polynomials with integer coefficients. Find all functions $f:\mathbb{Z}[x]\rightarrow \mathbb{Z}[x]$ such that for any 2 polynomials $P,Q$ with integer coefficients and integer $r$, the following statement is true. \[P(r)\mid Q(r) \iff f(P)(r)\mid f(Q)(r).\] (We define $a|b$ if and only if $b=za$ for some integer $z$. In particular, $0|0$.) [i]Proposed by the4seasons.[/i]

2024 Canadian Junior Mathematical Olympiad, 5

Tags: polynomial , algebra

Let $N{}$ be the number of positive integers with $10$ digits $\overline{d_9d_8\cdots d_0}$ in base $10$ (where $0\le d_i\le9$ for all $i$ and $d_9>0$) such that the polynomial \[d_9x^9+d_8x^8+\cdots+d_1x+d_0\] is irreducible in $\Bbb Q$. Prove that $N$ is even. (A polynomial is irreducible in $\Bbb Q$ if it cannot be factored into two non-constant polynomials with rational coefficients.)

2011 Singapore MO Open, 4

Tags: algebra , polynomial , calculus , number theory

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with real coefficients such that \[P(a)\in\mathbb{Z}\ \ \ \text{implies that}\ \ \ a\in\mathbb{Z}.\]

2018 Swedish Mathematical Competition, 6

Tags: algebra , polynomial

For which positive integers $n$ can the polynomial $p(x) = 1 + x^n + x^{2n}$ is written as a product of two polynomials with integer coefficients (of degree $\ge 1$)?

2022 Bulgarian Spring Math Competition, Problem 12.3

Tags: polynomial , algebra

Let $P,Q\in\mathbb{R}[x]$, such that $Q$ is a $2021$-degree polynomial and let $a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots , a_{2022}, b_{1}, b_{2}, \ldots , b_{2022}$ be real numbers such that $a_{1}a_{2}\ldots a_{2022}\neq 0$. If for all real $x$ \[P(a_{1}Q(x) + b_{1}) + \ldots + P(a_{2021}Q(x) + b_{2021}) = P(a_{2022}Q(x) + b_{2022})\] prove that $P(x)$ has a real root.

1994 Irish Math Olympiad, 3

Tags: polynomial , induction , algebra

Find all real polynomials $ f(x)$ satisfying $ f(x^2)\equal{}f(x)f(x\minus{}1)$ for all $ x$.

2009 Baltic Way, 1

Tags: polynomial , function , inequalities , algebra

A polynomial $p(x)$ of degree $n\ge 2$ has exactly $n$ real roots, counted with multiplicity. We know that the coefficient of $x^n$ is $1$, all the roots are less than or equal to $1$, and $p(2)=3^n$. What values can $p(1)$ take?

2021 Baltic Way, 19

Tags: number theory , polynomial

Find all polynomials $p$ with integer coefficients such that the number $p(a) - p(b)$ is divisible by $a + b$ for all integers $a, b$, provided that $a + b \neq 0$.

2019 Final Mathematical Cup, 2

Tags: sum , polynomial , algebra

Let $m=\frac{-1+\sqrt{17}}{2}$. Let the polynomial $P(x)=a_nx^n+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+...+a_1x+a_0$ is given, where $n$ is a positive integer, the coefficients $a_0,a_1,a_2,...,a_n$ are positive integers and $P(m) =2018$ . Prove that the sum $a_0+a_1+a_2+...+a_n$ is divisible by $2$ .

2017 Brazil Undergrad MO, 1

Tags: polynomial , algebra

A polynomial is called positivist if it can be written as a product of two non-constant polynomials with non-negative real coefficients. Let $f(x)$ be a polynomial of degree greater than one such that $f(x^n)$ is positivist for some positive integer $n$. Show that $f(x)$ is positivist.

1983 IMO Shortlist, 10

Tags: algebra , polynomial , approximation , number theory , rational number

Let $p$ and $q$ be integers. Show that there exists an interval $I$ of length $1/q$ and a polynomial $P$ with integral coefficients such that \[ \left|P(x)-\frac pq \right| < \frac{1}{q^2}\]for all $x \in I.$

2008 Balkan MO, 4

Tags: inequalities , algebra , polynomial , modular arithmetic , induction , number theory , relatively prime

Let $ c$ be a positive integer. The sequence $ a_1,a_2,\ldots$ is defined as follows $ a_1\equal{}c$, $ a_{n\plus{}1}\equal{}a_n^2\plus{}a_n\plus{}c^3$ for all positive integers $ n$. Find all $ c$ so that there are integers $ k\ge1$ and $ m\ge2$ so that $ a_k^2\plus{}c^3$ is the $ m$th power of some integer.

VI Soros Olympiad 1999 - 2000 (Russia), 11.5

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with real coefficients such that for all real $x$ holds the equality $$(1 + 2x)P(2x) = (1 + 2^{1999}x)P(x) .$$

1978 Putnam, B5

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Find the largest $a$ for which there exists a polynomial $$P(x) =a x^4 +bx^3 +cx^2 +dx +e$$ with real coefficients which satisfies $0\leq P(x) \leq 1$ for $-1 \leq x \leq 1.$

2016 Saint Petersburg Mathematical Olympiad, 7

Tags: algebra , polynomial , integer polynomial , integer

A polynomial $P(x)$ with integer coefficients and a positive integer $a>1$, are such that for all integers $x$, there exists an integer $z$ such that $aP(x)=P(z)$. Find all such pairs of $(P(x),a)$.

2014 China Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: function , algebra , polynomial , number theory

Let the function $f:N^*\to N^*$ such that [b](1)[/b] $(f(m),f(n))\le (m,n)^{2014} , \forall m,n\in N^*$; [b](2)[/b] $n\le f(n)\le n+2014 , \forall n\in N^*$ Show that: there exists the positive integers $N$ such that $ f(n)=n $, for each integer $n \ge N$. (High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University )

2015 Latvia Baltic Way TST, 3

Tags: polynomial , integer polynomial , algebra

Prove that there does not exist a polynomial $P (x)$ with integer coefficients and a natural number $m$ such that $$x^m + x + 2 = P(P(x))$$ holds for all integers $x$.

2016 IFYM, Sozopol, 6

Tags: game theory , game strategy , polynomial , algebra

Let $f(x)$ be a polynomial, such that $f(x)=x^{2015}+a_1 x^{2014}+...+a_{2014} x+a_{2015}$. Velly and Polly are taking turns, starting from Velly changing the coefficients $a_i$ with real numbers , where each coefficient is changed exactly once. After 2015 turns they calculate the number of real roots of the created polynomial and if the root is only one, then Velly wins, and if it’s not – Polly wins. Which one has a winning strategy?

2017 IMO Shortlist, N7

Tags: number theory , polynomial , equation , john berman more like jawnorz

An ordered pair $(x, y)$ of integers is a primitive point if the greatest common divisor of $x$ and $y$ is $1$. Given a finite set $S$ of primitive points, prove that there exist a positive integer $n$ and integers $a_0, a_1, \ldots , a_n$ such that, for each $(x, y)$ in $S$, we have: $$a_0x^n + a_1x^{n-1} y + a_2x^{n-2}y^2 + \cdots + a_{n-1}xy^{n-1} + a_ny^n = 1.$$ [i]Proposed by John Berman, United States[/i]

2010 Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament, 3

Tags: calculus , algebra , polynomial , vieta

Let $p$ be a monic cubic polynomial such that $p(0)=1$ and such that all the zeroes of $p^\prime (x)$ are also zeroes of $p(x)$. Find $p$. Note: monic means that the leading coefficient is $1$.

2008 Alexandru Myller, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Find all natural numbers $ n\ge 3 $ and real numbers $ a $ which have the property that the polynomial $ X^n-aX-1 $ admits a monic quadratic integer polynomial. [i]Mihai Bălună[/i]