Consider a polynomial $P(x) = \prod^9_{j=1}(x+d_j),$ where $d_1, d_2, \ldots d_9$ are nine distinct integers. Prove that there exists an integer $N,$ such that for all integers $x \geq N$ the number $P(x)$ is divisible by a prime number greater than 20. [i]Proposed by Luxembourg[/i]

Let $A,B\in\mathcal{M}_{2}(\mathbb{R})$ (real $2\times 2$ matrices), that satisfy $A^{2}+B^{2}=AB$. Prove that $(AB-BA)^{2}=O_{2}$.

Let $ S$ be a finite set of points in the plane such that no three of them are on a line. For each convex polygon $ P$ whose vertices are in $ S$, let $ a(P)$ be the number of vertices of $ P$, and let $ b(P)$ be the number of points of $ S$ which are outside $ P$. A line segment, a point, and the empty set are considered as convex polygons of $ 2$, $ 1$, and $ 0$ vertices respectively. Prove that for every real number $ x$ \[\sum_{P}{x^{a(P)}(1 \minus{} x)^{b(P)}} \equal{} 1,\] where the sum is taken over all convex polygons with vertices in $ S$. [i]Alternative formulation[/i]: Let $ M$ be a finite point set in the plane and no three points are collinear. A subset $ A$ of $ M$ will be called round if its elements is the set of vertices of a convex $ A \minus{}$gon $ V(A).$ For each round subset let $ r(A)$ be the number of points from $ M$ which are exterior from the convex $ A \minus{}$gon $ V(A).$ Subsets with $ 0,1$ and 2 elements are always round, its corresponding polygons are the empty set, a point or a segment, respectively (for which all other points that are not vertices of the polygon are exterior). For each round subset $ A$ of $ M$ construct the polynomial \[ P_A(x) \equal{} x^{|A|}(1 \minus{} x)^{r(A)}. \] Show that the sum of polynomials for all round subsets is exactly the polynomial $ P(x) \equal{} 1.$ [i]Proposed by Federico Ardila, Colombia[/i]

Let $f: \mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ be a continuous function, and $a<b$ be two points in the image of $f$ (that is, there exists $x,y$ such that $f(x)=a$ and $f(y)=b$). Show that there is an interval $I$ such that $f(I)=[a,b]$.

Suppose $p$ is an odd prime number. We call the polynomial $f(x)=\sum_{j=0}^n a_jx^j$ with integer coefficients $i$-remainder if $ \sum_{p-1|j,j>0}a_{j}\equiv i\pmod{p}$. Prove that the set $\{f(0),f(1),...,f(p-1)\}$ is a complete residue system modulo $p$ if and only if polynomials $f(x), (f(x))^2,...,(f(x))^{p-2}$ are $0$-remainder and the polynomial $(f(x))^{p-1}$ is $1$-remainder. [i]Proposed by Yahya Motevassel[/i]

Let $n \geq 2$ be a fixed positive integer and let $a_{0},a_{1},...,a_{n-1}$ be real numbers. Assume that all of the roots of the polynomial $P(x) = x^n+a_{n-1}x^{n-1}+a_{n-2}x^{n-2}+...+a_{1}x+a_{0}$ are strictly positive real numbers. Determine the smallest possible value of $\frac{a_{n-1}^{2}}{a_{n-2}}$ over all such polynomials. [i]Proposed by Nikola Velov[/i]

Find all polynomials with degree $\leq n$ and nonnegative coefficients, such that $P(x)P(\frac{1}{x}) \leq P(1)^2$ for every positive $x$

Does there exist functions $ f,g: \mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}$ such that $ f(g(x)) \equal{} x^2$ and $ g(f(x)) \equal{} x^k$ for all real numbers $ x$ a) if $ k \equal{} 3$? b) if $ k \equal{} 4$?

Let $n \ge 2$ be an integer and $f_1(x), f_2(x), \ldots, f_{n}(x)$ a sequence of polynomials with integer coefficients. One is allowed to make moves $M_1, M_2, \ldots $ as follows: in the $k$-th move $M_k$ one chooses an element $f(x)$ of the sequence with degree of $f$ at least $2$ and replaces it with $(f(x) - f(k))/(x-k)$. The process stops when all the elements of the sequence are of degree $1$. If $f_1(x) = f_2(x) = \cdots = f_n(x) = x^n + 1$, determine whether or not it is possible to make appropriate moves such that the process stops with a sequence of $n$ identical polynomials of degree 1.

A [i]root of unity[/i] is a complex number that is a solution to $ z^n \equal{} 1$ for some positive integer $ n$. Determine the number of roots of unity that are also roots of $ z^2 \plus{} az \plus{} b \equal{} 0$ for some integers $ a$ and $ b$.

What is that largest positive integer $n$ for which $n^3+100$ is divisible by $n+10$?

Let $C_k=\frac{1}{k+1}\binom{2k}{k}$ denote the $k^{\text{th}}$ Catalan number and $p$ be an odd prime. Prove that exactly half of the numbers in the set \[\left\{\sum_{k=1}^{p-1}C_kn^k\,\middle\vert\, n\in\{1,2,\ldots,p-1\}\right\}\] are divisible by $p$. [i]Tristan Shin[/i]

Discriminant of a second degree polynomial with integer coefficients cannot be $ \textbf{(A)}\ 23 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ 24 \qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 25 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 28 \qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 33 $

Let $ a$, $ b$, $ c$, $ d$, $ e$, $ f$ be positive integers and let $ S = a+b+c+d+e+f$. Suppose that the number $ S$ divides $ abc+def$ and $ ab+bc+ca-de-ef-df$. Prove that $ S$ is composite.

Consider $ p (x) = x ^ n + a_ {n-1} x ^ {n-1} + ... + a_ {1} x + 1 $ a polynomial of positive real coefficients, degree $ n \geq 2 $ e with $ n $ real roots. Which of the following statements is always true? a) $ p (2) <2 (2 ^ {n-1} +1) $ (b) $ p (1) <3 $ c) $ p (1)> 2 ^ n $ d) $ p (3 ) <3 (2 ^ {n-1} -2) $

Find all positive integers $ n\in\{1,2,3,\ldots,2009\}$ such that \[ 4n^6 \plus{} n^3 \plus{} 5\] is divisible by $ 7$.

Determine all integers $n$ for which the polynomial $P(x) = 3x^3-nx-n-2$ can be written as the product of two non-constant polynomials with integer coeffcients.

Let $n \geq 3$ be a positive integer. A [i]chipped $n$-board[/i] is a $2 \times n$ checkerboard with the bottom left square removed. Lino wants to tile a chipped $n$-board and is allowed to use the following types of tiles: [list] [*] Type 1: any $1 \times k$ board where $1 \leq k \leq n$ [*] Type 2: any chipped $k$-board where $1 \leq k \leq n$ that must cover the left-most tile of the $2 \times n$ checkerboard. [/list] Two tilings $T_1$ and $T_2$ are considered the same if there is a set of consecutive Type 1 tiles in both rows of $T_1$ that can be vertically swapped to obtain the tiling $T_2$. For example, the following three tilings of a chipped $7$-board are the same: [img]http://i.imgur.com/8QaSgc0.png[/img] For any positive integer $n$ and any positive integer $1 \leq m \leq 2n - 1$, let $c_{m,n}$ be the number of distinct tilings of a chipped $n$-board using exactly $m$ tiles (any combination of tile types may be used), and define the polynomial $$P_n(x) = \sum^{2n-1}_{m=1} c_{m,n}x^m.$$ Find, with justification, polynomials $f(x)$ and $g(x)$ such that $$P_n(x) = f(x)P_{n-1}(x) + g(x)P_{n-2}(x)$$ for all $n \geq 3$.

Determine all polynomials $P(x)$ with real coefficients and which satisfy the following properties: i) $P(0) = 1$ ii) for any real numbers $x$ and $y,$ \[|y^2-P(x)|\le 2|x|\quad\text{if and only if}\quad |x^2-P(y)|\le 2|y|.\]

Find all pairs $(a, b)$ of real numbers such that the roots of polynomials $6x^2 -24x -4a$ and $x^3 + ax^2 + bx - 8$ are all non-negative real numbers.

Let $f$ and $g$ be two polynomials with integer coefficients such that the leading coefficients of both the polynomials are positive. Suppose $\deg(f)$ is odd and the sets $\{f(a)\mid a\in \mathbb{Z}\}$ and $\{g(a)\mid a\in \mathbb{Z}\}$ are the same. Prove that there exists an integer $k$ such that $g(x)=f(x+k)$.

If $ y\equal{}x\plus{}\frac{1}{x}$, then $ x^4\plus{}x^3\minus{}4x^2\plus{}x\plus{}1\equal{}0$ becomes: $ \textbf{(A)}\ x^2(y^2\plus{}y\minus{}2)\equal{}0 \qquad\textbf{(B)}\ x^2(y^2\plus{}y\minus{}3)\equal{}0\\ \textbf{(C)}\ x^2(y^2\plus{}y\minus{}4)\equal{}0 \qquad\textbf{(D)}\ x^2(y^2\plus{}y\minus{}6)\equal{}0\\ \textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$

Let $f(x)=3x^3-5x^2+2x-6$. If the roots of $f$ are given by $\alpha$, $\beta$, and $\gamma$, find \[ \left(\frac{1}{\alpha-2}\right)^2+\left(\frac{1}{\beta-2}\right)^2+\left(\frac{1}{\gamma-2}\right)^2. \]

Find all real solutions of the system of equations: \[\sum^n_{k=1} x^i_k = a^i\] for $i = 1,2, \ldots, n.$

Let $F$ be a subset of the set of positive integers with at least two elements and $P(x)$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients such that for any two distinct elements of $F$ like $a$ and $b$, the following two conditions hold [list] [*] $a+b \in F$, and [*] $\gcd(P(a),P(b))=1$. [/list] Prove that $P(x)$ is a constant polynomial.