Found problems: 23
2021 India National Olympiad, 6
Let $\mathbb{R}[x]$ be the set of all polynomials with real coefficients. Find all functions $f: \mathbb{R}[x] \rightarrow \mathbb{R}[x]$ satisfying the following conditions:
[list]
[*] $f$ maps the zero polynomial to itself,
[*] for any non-zero polynomial $P \in \mathbb{R}[x]$, $\text{deg} \, f(P) \le 1+ \text{deg} \, P$, and
[*] for any two polynomials $P, Q \in \mathbb{R}[x]$, the polynomials $P-f(Q)$ and $Q-f(P)$ have the same set of real roots.
[/list]
[i]Proposed by Anant Mudgal, Sutanay Bhattacharya, Pulkit Sinha[/i]
2017 Mathematical Talent Reward Programme, SAQ: P 1
A monic polynomial is a polynomial whose highest degree coefficient is 1. Let $P(x)$ and $Q(x)$ be monic polynomial with real coefficients and $degP(x)=degQ(x)=10$. Prove that if the equation $P(x)=Q(x)$ has no real solutions then $P(x+1)=Q(x-1)$ has a real solution
1975 Czech and Slovak Olympiad III A, 3
Determine all real tuples $\left(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4,x_5,x_6\right)$ such that
\begin{align*}
x_1(x_6 + x_2) &= x_3 + x_5, \\
x_2(x_1 + x_3) &= x_4 + x_6, \\
x_3(x_2 + x_4) &= x_5 + x_1, \\
x_4(x_3 + x_5) &= x_6 + x_2, \\
x_5(x_4 + x_6) &= x_1 + x_3, \\
x_6(x_5 + x_1) &= x_2 + x_4.
\end{align*}
2005 Estonia Team Selection Test, 4
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.
2017 Pan-African Shortlist, A6
Let $n \geq 1$ be an integer, and $a_0, a_1, \dots, a_{n-1}$ be real numbers such that
\[
1 \geq a_{n-1} \geq a_{n-2} \geq \dots \geq a_1 \geq a_0 \geq 0.
\]
We assume that $\lambda$ is a real root of the polynomial
\[
x^n + a_{n-1} x^{n-1} + \dots + a_1 x + a_0.
\]
Prove that $|\lambda| \leq 1$.
2001 German National Olympiad, 1
Determine all real numbers $q$ for which the equation $x^4 -40x^2 +q = 0$ has four real solutions which form an arithmetic progression
1963 Czech and Slovak Olympiad III A, 4
Consider two quadratic equations \begin{align*}x^2+ax+b&=0, \\ x^2+cx+d&=0,\end{align*} with real coefficients. Find necessary and sufficient conditions such that the first equation has (real) roots $x,x_1,$ the second $x,x_2$ and $x>0,x_1>x_2$.
2016 Saudi Arabia BMO TST, 1
Given a polynomial $P(x) = a_nx^n + a_{n-1}x^{n-1} + ...+ a_1x + a_0$ of real coefficients. Suppose that $P(x)$ has $n$ real roots (not necessarily distinct), and there exists a positive integer $k$ such that $a_k = a_{k-1} = 0$. Prove that $P(x)$ has a real root of multiplicity $k + 1$.
2008 Bulgarian Autumn Math Competition, Problem 10.1
For which values of the parameter $a$ does the equation
\[(2x-a)\sqrt{ax^2-(a^2+a+2)x+2(a+1)}=0\]
has three different real roots.
1965 Czech and Slovak Olympiad III A, 3
Find all real roots $x$ of the equation $$\sqrt{x^2-2x-1}+\sqrt{x^2+2x-1}=p,$$ where $p$ is a real parameter.
2017 India Regional Mathematical Olympiad, 3
Let \(P(x)=x^2+\dfrac x 2 +b\) and \(Q(x)=x^2+cx+d\) be two polynomials with real coefficients such that \(P(x)Q(x)=Q(P(x))\) for all real \(x\). Find all real roots of \(P(Q(x))=0\).
1987 Spain Mathematical Olympiad, 6
For all natural numbers $n$, consider the polynomial $P_n(x) = x^{n+2}-2x+1$.
(a) Show that the equation $P_n(x)=0$ has exactly one root $c_n$ in the open interval $(0,1)$.
(b) Find $lim_{n \to \infty}c_n$.
1996 China Team Selection Test, 2
Let $\alpha_1, \alpha_2, \dots, \alpha_n$, and $\beta_1, \beta_2, \ldots, \beta_n$, where $n \geq 4$, be 2 sets of real numbers such that
\[\sum_{i=1}^{n} \alpha_i^2 < 1 \qquad \text{and} \qquad \sum_{i=1}^{n} \beta_i^2 < 1.\]
Define
\begin{align*}
A^2 &= 1 - \sum_{i=1}^{n} \alpha_i^2,\\
B^2 &= 1 - \sum_{i=1}^{n} \beta_i^2,\\
W &= \frac{1}{2} (1 - \sum_{i=1}^{n} \alpha_i \beta_i)^2.
\end{align*}
Find all real numbers $\lambda$ such that the polynomial \[x^n + \lambda (x^{n-1} + \cdots + x^3 + Wx^2 + ABx + 1) = 0,\] only has real roots.
2012 Thailand Mathematical Olympiad, 9
Let $n$ be a positive integer and let $P(x) = x^n + a_{n-1}x^{n-1} +... + a_1x + 1$ be a polynomial with positive real coefficients. Under the assumption that the roots of $P$ are all real, show that $P(x) \ge (x + 1)^n$ for all $x > 0$.
1996 China Team Selection Test, 2
Let $\alpha_1, \alpha_2, \dots, \alpha_n$, and $\beta_1, \beta_2, \ldots, \beta_n$, where $n \geq 4$, be 2 sets of real numbers such that
\[\sum_{i=1}^{n} \alpha_i^2 < 1 \qquad \text{and} \qquad \sum_{i=1}^{n} \beta_i^2 < 1.\]
Define
\begin{align*}
A^2 &= 1 - \sum_{i=1}^{n} \alpha_i^2,\\
B^2 &= 1 - \sum_{i=1}^{n} \beta_i^2,\\
W &= \frac{1}{2} (1 - \sum_{i=1}^{n} \alpha_i \beta_i)^2.
\end{align*}
Find all real numbers $\lambda$ such that the polynomial \[x^n + \lambda (x^{n-1} + \cdots + x^3 + Wx^2 + ABx + 1) = 0,\] only has real roots.
2017 Azerbaijan EGMO TST, 3
The degree of the polynomial $P(x)$ is $2017.$ Prove that the number of distinct real roots of the equation $P(P(x)) = 0$ is not less than the number of distinct real roots of the equation $P(x) = 0.$
2012 India Regional Mathematical Olympiad, 6
Let $a$ and $b$ be real numbers such that $a \ne 0$. Prove that not all the roots of $ax^4 + bx^3 + x^2 + x + 1 = 0$ can be real.
2007 Silk Road, 4
The set of polynomials $f_1, f_2, \ldots, f_n$ with real coefficients is called [i]special [/i], if for any different $i,j,k \in \{ 1,2, \ldots, n\}$ polynomial $\dfrac{2}{3}f_i + f_j + f_k$ has no real roots, but for any different $p,q,r,s \in \{ 1,2, \ldots, n\}$ of a polynomial $f_p + f_q + f_r + f_s$ there is a real root.
a) Give an example of a [i]special [/i] set of four polynomials whose sum is not a zero polynomial.
b) Is there a [i]special [/i] set of five polynomials?
2005 Estonia Team Selection Test, 4
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.
1999 Bosnia and Herzegovina Team Selection Test, 1
Let $a$, $b$ and $c$ be lengths of sides of triangle $ABC$. Prove that at least one of the equations $$x^2-2bx+2ac=0$$ $$x^2-2cx+2ab=0$$ $$x^2-2ax+2bc=0$$ does not have real solutions
2012 IFYM, Sozopol, 4
Let $n$ be a natural number. Find the number of real roots of the following equation:
$1+\frac{x}{1}+\frac{x^2}{2}+...+\frac{x^n}{n}=0$.
2001 Nordic, 3
Determine the number of real roots of the equation
${x^8 -x^7 + 2x^6- 2x^5 + 3x^4 - 3x^3 + 4x^2 - 4x + \frac{5}{2}= 0}$
1968 IMO Shortlist, 6
If $a_i \ (i = 1, 2, \ldots, n)$ are distinct non-zero real numbers, prove that the equation
\[\frac{a_1}{a_1-x} + \frac{a_2}{a_2-x}+\cdots+\frac{a_n}{a_n-x} = n\]
has at least $n - 1$ real roots.