Olympiad problems

PEN E Problems, 11

In 1772 Euler discovered the curious fact that $n^2 +n+41$ is prime when $n$ is any of $0,1,2, \cdots, 39$. Show that there exist $40$ consecutive integer values of $n$ for which this polynomial is not prime.

2015 Baltic Way, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let $n>1$ be an integer. Find all non-constant real polynomials $P(x)$ satisfying , for any real $x$ , the identy \[P(x)P(x^2)P(x^3)\cdots P(x^n)=P(x^{\frac{n(n+1)}{2}})\]

2019-IMOC, A2

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Given a real number $t\ge3$, suppose a polynomial $f\in\mathbb R[x]$ satisfies $$\left|f(k)-t^k\right|<1,\enspace\forall k=0,1,\ldots,n.$$Prove that $\deg f\ge n$.

2008 ITest, 80

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let \[p(x)=x^{2008}+x^{2007}+x^{2006}+\cdots+x+1,\] and let $r(x)$ be the polynomial remainder when $p(x)$ is divided by $x^4+x^3+2x^2+x+1$. Find the remainder when $|r(2008)|$ is divided by $1000$.

2000 Iran MO (3rd Round), 3

Tags: polynomial , algebra

Prove that for every natural number $ n$ there exists a polynomial $ p(x)$ with integer coefficients such that$ p(1),p(2),...,p(n)$ are distinct powers of $ 2$ .

1966 AMC 12/AHSME, 37

Tags: algebra , polynomial , quadratic

Three men, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, working together, do a job in $6$ hours less time than Alpha alone, in $1$ hour less time than Beta alone, and in one-half the time needed by Gamma when working alone. Let $h$ be the number of hours needed by Alpha and Beta, working together to do the job. Then $h$ equals: $\text{(A)}\ \dfrac{5}{2}\qquad \text{(B)}\ \frac{3}{2}\qquad \text{(C)}\ \dfrac{4}{3}\qquad \text{(D)}\ \dfrac{5}{4}\qquad \text{(E)}\ \dfrac{3}{4}$

2010 N.N. Mihăileanu Individual, 2

Tags: polynomial , irreducibility , irreducible polynomial , algebra

If at least one of the integers $ a,b $ is not divisible by $ 3, $ then the polynom $ X^2-abX+a^2+b^2 $ is irreducible over the integers. [i]Ion Cucurezeanu[/i]

2010 Vietnam Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial , modular arithmetic , number theory

Let $S_n $ be sum of squares of the coefficient of the polynomial $(1+x)^n$. Prove that $S_{2n} +1$ is not divisible by $3.$

2007 Grigore Moisil Intercounty, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , complex number

Prove that if all roots of a monic cubic polynomial have modulus $ 1, $ then, the two middle coefficients have the same modulus.

2016 Azerbaijan Team Selection Test, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial

A positive interger $n$ is called [i][u]rising[/u][/i] if its decimal representation $a_ka_{k-1}\cdots a_0$ satisfies the condition $a_k\le a_{k-1}\le\cdots \le a_0$. Polynomial $P$ with real coefficents is called [i][u]interger-valued[/u][/i] if for all integer numbers $n$, $P(n)$ takes interger values. $P(n)$ is called [i][u]rising-valued[/u][/i] if for all [i]rising[/i] numbers $n$, $P(n)$ takes integer values. Does it necessarily mean that, "every [i]rising-valued[/i] $P$ is also [i]interger-valued[/i] $P$"?

2006 Princeton University Math Competition, 4

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Find all pairs of real numbers $(a,b)$ so that there exists a polynomial $P(x)$ with real coefficients and $P(P(x))=x^4-8x^3+ax^2+bx+40$.

2019 CMIMC, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial

Let $P(x)$ be a quadratic polynomial with real coefficients such that $P(3) = 7$ and \[P(x) = P(0) + P(1)x + P(2)x^2\] for all real $x$. What is $P(-1)$?

1985 Miklós Schweitzer, 5

Tags: number theory , relatively prime , algebra , polynomial , absolute value

Let $F(x,y)$ and $G(x,y)$ be relatively prime homogeneous polynomials of degree at least one having integer coefficients. Prove that there exists a number $c$ depending only on the degrees and the maximum of the absolute values of the coefficients of $F$ and $G$ such that $F(x,y)\neq G(x,y)$ for any integers $x$ and $y$ that are relatively prime and satisfy $\max \{ |x|,|y|\} > c$. [K. Gyory]

1998 India National Olympiad, 5

Tags: quadratic , algebra , polynomial , inequalities , sum of roots , area of a triangle

Suppose $a,b,c$ are three rela numbers such that the quadratic equation \[ x^2 - (a +b +c )x + (ab +bc +ca) = 0 \] has roots of the form $\alpha + i \beta$ where $\alpha > 0$ and $\beta \not= 0$ are real numbers. Show that (i) The numbers $a,b,c$ are all positive. (ii) The numbers $\sqrt{a}, \sqrt{b} , \sqrt{c}$ form the sides of a triangle.

2016 Iran MO (3rd Round), 2

Tags: number theory , algebra , polynomial

Let $P$ be a polynomial with integer coefficients. We say $P$ is [i]good [/i] if there exist infinitely many prime numbers $q$ such that the set $$X=\left\{P(n) \mod q : \quad n\in \mathbb N\right\}$$ has at least $\frac{q+1}{2}$ members. Prove that the polynomial $x^3+x$ is good.

1953 AMC 12/AHSME, 20

Tags: algebra , polynomial

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}$

2020 Thailand TST, 5

Tags: number theory , polynomial

We say that a set $S$ of integers is [i]rootiful[/i] if, for any positive integer $n$ and any $a_0, a_1, \cdots, a_n \in S$, all integer roots of the polynomial $a_0+a_1x+\cdots+a_nx^n$ are also in $S$. Find all rootiful sets of integers that contain all numbers of the form $2^a - 2^b$ for positive integers $a$ and $b$.

1970 Swedish Mathematical Competition, 4

Tags: cubic , analysis , algebra , polynomial

Let $p(x) = (x- x_1)(x- x_2)(x- x_3)$, where $x_1, x_2$ and $x_3$ are real. Show that $p(x) p''(x) \le p'(x)^2$ for all $x$.

1962 AMC 12/AHSME, 9

Tags: algebra , polynomial , calculus , integration

When $ x^9\minus{}x$ is factored as completely as possible into polynomials and monomials with integral coefficients, the number of factors is: $ \textbf{(A)}\ \text{more than 5} \qquad \textbf{(B)}\ 5 \qquad \textbf{(C)}\ 4 \qquad \textbf{(D)}\ 3 \qquad \textbf{(E)}\ 2$

2016 IMO Shortlist, N8

Tags: number theory , polynomial

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ of odd degree $d$ and with integer coefficients satisfying the following property: for each positive integer $n$, there exists $n$ positive integers $x_1, x_2, \ldots, x_n$ such that $\frac12 < \frac{P(x_i)}{P(x_j)} < 2$ and $\frac{P(x_i)}{P(x_j)}$ is the $d$-th power of a rational number for every pair of indices $i$ and $j$ with $1 \leq i, j \leq n$.

2013 Peru MO (ONEM), 1

Tags: number theory , polynomial , algebra

We define the polynomial $$P (x) = 2014x^{2013} + 2013x^{2012} +... + 4x^3 + 3x^2 + 2x.$$ Find the largest prime divisor of $P (2)$.

2009 Princeton University Math Competition, 8

Tags: algebra , polynomial , quadratic , geometry

The real numbers $x$, $y$, $z$, and $t$ satisfy the following equation: \[2x^2 + 4xy + 3y^2 - 2xz -2 yz + z^2 + 1 = t + \sqrt{y + z - t} \] Find 100 times the maximum possible value for $t$.

2010 Germany Team Selection Test, 3

Tags: polynomial , size , number theory

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]

2008 Iran MO (3rd Round), 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial , number theory

a) Prove that there are two polynomials in $ \mathbb Z[x]$ with at least one coefficient larger than 1387 such that coefficients of their product is in the set $ \{\minus{}1,0,1\}$. b) Does there exist a multiple of $ x^2\minus{}3x\plus{}1$ such that all of its coefficient are in the set $ \{\minus{}1,0,1\}$

1989 Balkan MO, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , gauss , calculus , derivative , combinatorial geometry , absolute value

Let $\overline{a_{n}a_{n-1}\ldots a_{1}a_{0}}$ be the decimal representation of a prime positive integer such that $n>1$ and $a_{n}>1$. Prove that the polynomial $P(x)=a_{n}x^{n}+\ldots +a_{1}x+a_{0}$ cannot be written as a product of two non-constant integer polynomials.