This website contains problems from math contests. Problems and corresponding tags were obtained from the Art of Problem Solving website.

Tags were heavily modified to better represent problems.

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Found problems: 3597

2016 Mathematical Talent Reward Programme, SAQ: P 1

Show that there exist a polynomial $P(x)$ whose one cofficient is $\frac{1}{2016}$ and remaining cofficients are rational numbers, such that $P(x)$ is an integer for any integer $x$ .

2005 Baltic Way, 4

Find three different polynomials $P(x)$ with real coefficients such that $P\left(x^2 + 1\right) = P(x)^2 + 1$ for all real $x$.

2010 China Team Selection Test, 2

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 $x_{n+1}=x_0$.

2019 IOM, 6

Let $p$ be a prime and let $f(x)$ be a polynomial of degree $d$ with integer coefficients. Assume that the numbers $f(1),f(2),\dots,f(p)$ leave exactly $k$ distinct remainders when divided by $p$, and $1<k<p$. Prove that \[ \frac{p-1}{d}\leq k-1\leq (p-1)\left(1-\frac1d \right) .\] [i] Dániel Domán, Gauls Károlyi, and Emil Kiss [/i]

2008 Indonesia TST, 1

A polynomial $P(x) = 1 + x^2 + x^5 + x^{n_1} + ...+ x^{n_s} + x^{2008}$ with $n_1, ..., n_s$ are positive integers and $5 < n_1 < ... <n_s < 2008$ are given. Prove that if $P(x)$ has at least a real root, then the root is not greater than $\frac{1-\sqrt5}{2}$

1981 AMC 12/AHSME, 30

If $ a$, $ b$, $ c$, and $ d$ are the solutions of the equation $ x^4 \minus{} bx \minus{} 3 \equal{} 0$, then an equation whose solutions are \[ \frac {a \plus{} b \plus{} c}{d^2}, \frac {a \plus{} b \plus{} d}{c^2}, \frac {a \plus{} c \plus{} d}{b^2}, \frac {b \plus{} c \plus{} d}{a^2} \]is $ \textbf{(A)}\ 3x^4 \plus{} bx \plus{} 1 \equal{} 0\qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 3x^4 \minus{} bx \plus{} 1 \equal{} 0\qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 3x^4 \plus{} bx^3 \minus{} 1 \equal{} 0$ $ \textbf{(D)}\ 3x^4 \minus{} bx^3 \minus{} 1 \equal{} 0\qquad \textbf{(E)}\ \text{none of these}$

1982 IMO Longlists, 16

Let $p(x)$ be a cubic polynomial with integer coefficients with leading coefficient $1$ and with one of its roots equal to the product of the other two. Show that $2p(-1)$ is a multiple of $p(1)+p(-1)-2(1+p(0)).$

2010 Germany Team Selection Test, 3

A positive integer $N$ is called [i]balanced[/i], if $N=1$ or if $N$ can be written as a product of an even number of not necessarily distinct primes. Given positive integers $a$ and $b$, consider the polynomial $P$ defined by $P(x)=(x+a)(x+b)$. (a) Prove that there exist distinct positive integers $a$ and $b$ such that all the number $P(1)$, $P(2)$,$\ldots$, $P(50)$ are balanced. (b) Prove that if $P(n)$ is balanced for all positive integers $n$, then $a=b$. [i]Proposed by Jorge Tipe, Peru[/i]

2000 German National Olympiad, 2

For an integer $n \ge 2$, find all real numbers $x$ for which the polynomial $f(x) = (x-1)^4 +(x-2)^4 +...+(x-n)^4$ takes its minimum value.

1986 Miklós Schweitzer, 8

Let $a_0=0$, $a_1, \ldots, a_k$ and $b_1, \ldots, b_k$ be arbitrary real numbers. (i) Show that for all sufficiently large $n$ there exist polynomials $p_n$ of degree at most $n$ for which $$p_n^{(i)} (-1)=a_i,\,\,\,\,\, p_n^{(i)} (1)=b_i,\,\,\,\,\, i=0, 1, \ldots, k$$ and $$\max_{|x|\leq 1} |p_n (x)|\leq \frac{c}{n^2}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\, (*)$$ where the constant $c$ depends only on the numbers $a_i, b_i$. (ii) Prove that, in general, (*) cannot be replaced by the relation $$\lim_{n\to\infty} n^2\cdot \max_{|x|\leq 1} |p_n (x)| = 0$$ [J. Szabados]

2019 AMC 12/AHSME, 17

Let $s_k$ denote the sum of the $\textit{k}$th powers of the roots of the polynomial $x^3-5x^2+8x-13$. In particular, $s_0=3$, $s_1=5$, and $s_2=9$. Let $a$, $b$, and $c$ be real numbers such that $s_{k+1} = a \, s_k + b \, s_{k-1} + c \, s_{k-2}$ for $k = 2$, $3$, $....$ What is $a+b+c$? $\textbf{(A)} \; -6 \qquad \textbf{(B)} \; 0 \qquad \textbf{(C)} \; 6 \qquad \textbf{(D)} \; 10 \qquad \textbf{(E)} \; 26$

2010 Contests, 2

Let $ a\geq 2$ be a real number; with the roots $ x_{1}$ and $ x_{2}$ of the equation $ x^2\minus{}ax\plus{}1\equal{}0$ we build the sequence with $ S_{n}\equal{}x_{1}^n \plus{} x_{2}^n$. [b]a)[/b]Prove that the sequence $ \frac{S_{n}}{S_{n\plus{}1}}$, where $ n$ takes value from $ 1$ up to infinity, is strictly non increasing. [b]b)[/b]Find all value of $ a$ for the which this inequality hold for all natural values of $ n$ $ \frac{S_{1}}{S_{2}}\plus{}\cdots \plus{}\frac{S_{n}}{S_{n\plus{}1}}>n\minus{}1$

2001 Spain Mathematical Olympiad, Problem 1

Prove that the graph of the polynomial $P(x)$ is symmetric in respect to point $A(a,b)$ if and only if there exists a polynomial $Q(x)$ such that: $P(x) = b + (x-a)Q((x-a)^2)).$

1975 All Soviet Union Mathematical Olympiad, 217

Given a polynomial $P(x)$ with a) natural coefficients; b) integer coefficients; Let us denote with $a_n$ the sum of the digits of $P(n)$ value. Prove that there is a number encountered in the sequence $a_1, a_2, ... , a_n, ...$ infinite times.

2011 Morocco National Olympiad, 2

Solve in $(\mathbb{R}_{+}^{*})^{4}$ the following system : $\left\{\begin{matrix} x+y+z+t=4\\ \frac{1}{x}+\frac{1}{y}+\frac{1}{z}+\frac{1}{t}=5-\frac{1}{xyzt} \end{matrix}\right.$

2021 JHMT HS, 10

A polynomial $P(x)$ of some degree $d$ satisfies $P(n) = n^3 + 10n^2 - 12$ and $P'(n) = 3n^2 + 20n - 1$ for $n = -2, -1, 0, 1, 2.$ Also, $P$ has $d$ distinct (not necessarily real) roots $r_1, r_2, \ldots, r_d.$ The value of \[ \sum_{k=1}^{d}\frac{1}{4 - r_k^2} \] can be expressed as a common fraction $\tfrac{p}{q}.$ What is the value of $p + q?$

1982 Poland - Second Round, 1

Prove that if $ c, d $ are integers with $ c \neq d $, $ d > 0 $ then the equation $$ x^3 - 3cx^2 - dx + c = 0$$ has no more than one rational root.

PEN E Problems, 5

Prove that $\frac{5^{125}-1}{5^{25}-1}$ is a composite number.

2010 Germany Team Selection Test, 3

Let $P(x)$ be a non-constant polynomial with integer coefficients. Prove that there is no function $T$ from the set of integers into the set of integers such that the number of integers $x$ with $T^n(x)=x$ is equal to $P(n)$ for every $n\geq 1$, where $T^n$ denotes the $n$-fold application of $T$. [i]Proposed by Jozsef Pelikan, Hungary[/i]

1953 Poland - Second Round, 1

Prove that the equation $$ (x - a) (x - c) + 2 (x - b) (x - d) = 0,$$ in which $ a < b < c < d $, has two real roots.

2012 Ukraine Team Selection Test, 11

Let $P$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients of degree $d$. For the set $A = \{ a_1, a_2, ..., a_k\}$ of positive integers we denote $S (A) = P (a_1) + P (a_2) + ... + P (a_k )$. The natural numbers $m, n$ are such that $m ^{d+ 1} | n$. Prove that the set $\{1, 2, ..., n\}$ can be subdivided into $m$ disjoint subsets $A_1, A_2, ..., A_m$ with the same number of elements such that $S (A_1) = S(A_2) = ... = S (A_m )$.

2023 VN Math Olympiad For High School Students, Problem 6

Prove that these polynomials are irreducible in $\mathbb{Q}[x]:$ a) $\frac{{{x^p}}}{{p!}} + \frac{{{x^{p - 1}}}}{{(p - 1)!}} + ... + \frac{{{x^2}}}{2} + x + 1,$ with $p$ is a prime number. b) $x^{2^n}+1,$ with $n$ is a positive integer.

1972 Miklós Schweitzer, 6

Let $ P(z)$ be a polynomial of degree $ n$ with complex coefficients, \[ P(0)\equal{}1, \;\textrm{and}\ \;|P(z)|\leq M\ \;\textrm{for}\ \;|z| \leq 1\ .\] Prove that every root of $ P(z)$ in the closed unit disc has multiplicity at most $ c\sqrt{n}$, where $ c\equal{}c(M) >0$ is a constant depending only on $ M$. [i]G. Halasz[/i]

2008 Bulgaria Team Selection Test, 3

Let $G$ be a directed graph with infinitely many vertices. It is known that for each vertex the outdegree is greater than the indegree. Let $O$ be a fixed vertex of $G$. For an arbitrary positive number $n$, let $V_{n}$ be the number of vertices which can be reached from $O$ passing through at most $n$ edges ( $O$ counts). Find the smallest possible value of $V_{n}$.

2003 IMC, 3

Let $A\in\mathbb{R}^{n\times n}$ such that $3A^3=A^2+A+I$. Show that the sequence $A^k$ converges to an idempotent matrix. (idempotent: $B^2=B$)