Prove that any polynomial of the form $1+a_nx^n + a_{n+1}x^{n+1} + \cdots + a_kx^k$ ($k\ge n$) has at least $n-2$ non-real roots (counting multiplicity), where the $a_i$ ($n\le i\le k$) are real and $a_k\ne 0$. [i]David Yang.[/i]

Call a polynomial $ P(x_{1}, \ldots, x_{k})$ [i]good[/i] if there exist $ 2\times 2$ real matrices $ A_{1}, \ldots, A_{k}$ such that $ P(x_{1}, \ldots, x_{k}) = \det \left(\sum_{i=1}^{k}x_{i}A_{i}\right).$ Find all values of $ k$ for which all homogeneous polynomials with $ k$ variables of degree 2 are good. (A polynomial is homogeneous if each term has the same total degree.)

Let $A,B,C$ be real square matrices of order $n$ such that $A^3=-I$, $BA^2+BA=C^6+C+I$ and $C$ is symmetric. Is it possible that $n=2005$?

Let $P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ be (monic) polynomials with real coefficients (the first coefficient being equal to $1$), and $\deg P(x)=\deg Q(x)=10$. Prove that if the equation $P(x)=Q(x)$ has no real solutions, then $ P(x+1)=Q(x-1) $ has a real solution.

Let $a,b,c,d \in \mathbb{N}$ such that $a \ge b \ge c \ge d $. Show that the equation $x^4 - ax^3 - bx^2 - cx -d = 0$ has no integer solution.

Let $P$ be a fourth degree polynomial, with derivative $P^\prime$, such that $P(1)=P(3)=P(5)=P^\prime (7)=0$. Find the real number $x\neq 1,3,5$ such that $P(x)=0$.

Let $r$ and $s$ be positive integers. Define $a_0 = 0$, $a_1 = 1$, and $a_n = ra_{n-1} + sa_{n-2}$ for $n \geq 2$. Let $f_n = a_1a_2\cdots a_n$. Prove that $\displaystyle\frac{f_n}{f_kf_{n-k}}$ is an integer for all integers $n$ and $k$ such that $0 < k < n$. [i]Evan O' Dorney.[/i]

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]

The real numbers $a$, $b$ and $c$ verify that the polynomial $p(x)=x^4+ax^3+bx^2+ax+c$ has exactly three distinct real roots; these roots are equal to $\tan y$, $\tan 2y$ and $\tan 3y$, for some real number $y$. Find all possible values of $y$, $0\leq y < \pi$.

Given a polynomial $f(x)$ with rational coefficients, of degree $d \ge 2$, we define the sequence of sets $f^0(\mathbb{Q}), f^1(\mathbb{Q}), \ldots$ as $f^0(\mathbb{Q})=\mathbb{Q}$, $f^{n+1}(\mathbb{Q})=f(f^{n}(\mathbb{Q}))$ for $n\ge 0$. (Given a set $S$, we write $f(S)$ for the set $\{f(x)\mid x\in S\})$. Let $f^{\omega}(\mathbb{Q})=\bigcap_{n=0}^{\infty} f^n(\mathbb{Q})$ be the set of numbers that are in all of the sets $f^n(\mathbb{Q})$, $n\geq 0$. Prove that $f^{\omega}(\mathbb{Q})$ is a finite set. [i]Dan Schwarz, Romania[/i]

Suppose $P(x)$ is a non-constant polynomial with real coefficients, and even degree. Bob writes the polynomial $P(x)$ on a board. At every step, if the polynomial on the board is $f(x)$, he can replace it with 1. $f(x)+c$ for a real number $c$, or 2. the polynomial $P(f(x))$. Can he always find a finite sequence of steps so the final polynomial on the board has exactly $2020$ real roots? What about $2021$? [i]~Sutanay Bhattacharya[/i]

[b]8.1[/b] Four circles are placed on planes so that each one touches the other two externally. Prove that the points of tangency lie on one circle. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/9/8/883a82fb568954b09a4499a955372e2492dbb8.png[/img] [b]8.2[/b]. Let the integers $a$ and $b$ be represented as $x^2-5y^2$, where $x$ and $y$ are integer numbers. Prove that the number $ab$ can also be presented in this form. [b]8.3[/b] Solve the equation $x(x + d)(x + 2d)(x + 3d) = a$. [b]8.4 / 9.1[/b] Let $a+b+c=1$, $m+n+p=1 $. Prove that $$-1 \le am + bn + cp \le 1 $$ [b]8.5[/b] Inscribe a triangle with the largest area in a semicircle. [b]8.6[/b] Three circles of the same radius intersect at one point. Prove that the other three points intersections lie on a circle of the same radius. [img]https://cdn.artofproblemsolving.com/attachments/4/7/014952f2dcf0349d54b07230e45a42c242a49d.png[/img] [b]8.7[/b] Find the circle of smallest radius that contains a given triangle. [b]8.8 / 9.2[/b] Given a polynomial $$x^{2n} +a_1x^{2n-2} + a_2x^{2n-4} + ... + a_{n-1}x^2 + a_n,$$ which is divisible by $ x-1$. Prove that it is divisible by $x^2-1$. [b]8.9[/b] Prove that for any prime number $p$ other than $2$ and from $5$, there is a natural number $k$ such that only ones are involved in the decimal notation of the number $pk$.. PS. You should use hide for answers.Collected [url=https://artofproblemsolving.com/community/c3983459_1962_leningrad_math_olympiad]here[/url].

If $a$ and $b$ are integers such that $x^2 - x - 1$ is a factor of $ax^3 + bx^2 + 1$, then $b$ is $ \textbf{(A)}\ -2\qquad\textbf{(B)}\ -1\qquad\textbf{(C)}\ 0\qquad\textbf{(D)}\ 1\qquad\textbf{(E)}\ 2 $

For $n \ge 3$, let $S=a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_n$ and $T=b_1b_2\cdots b_n$ for positive real numbers $a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_n, b_1,b_2 ,\ldots,b_n$, where the numbers $b_i$ are pairwise distinct. (a) Find the number of distinct real zeroes of the polynomial \[f(x)=(x-b_1)(x-b_2)\cdots(x-b_n)\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{a_j}{x-b_j}\] (b) Prove the inequality \[\frac1{n-1}\sum_{j=1}^n \left(1-\frac{a_j}{S}\right)b_j > \left(\frac{T}{S}\sum_{j=1}^{n} \frac{a_j}{b_j}\right)^{\frac1{n-1}}\]