Olympiad problems

2017 India PRMO, 4

Let $a, b$ be integers such that all the roots of the equation $(x^2+ax+20)(x^2+17x+b) = 0$ are negative integers. What is the smallest possible value of $a + b$ ?

1970 Czech and Slovak Olympiad III A, 3

Tags: parameterization , algebra , root , inequalities

Let $p>0$ be a given parameter. Determine all real $x$ such that \[\frac{1}{\,x+\sqrt{p-x^2\,}\,}+\frac{1}{\,x-\sqrt{p-x^2\,}\,}\ge\frac{1}{\,p\,}.\]

1995 Singapore MO Open, 1

Tags: polynomial , rational , root , algebra

Suppose that the rational numbers $a, b$ and $c$ are the roots of the equation $x^3+ax^2 + bx + c = 0$. Find all such rational numbers $a, b$ and $c$. Justify your answer

2013 India PRMO, 16

Tags: sum , algebra , root

Let $f(x) = x^3 - 3x + b$ and $g(x) = x^2 + bx -3$, where $b$ is a real number. What is the sum of all possible values of $b$ for which the equations $f(x)$ = 0 and $g(x) = 0$ have a common root?

2018 Junior Regional Olympiad - FBH, 3

Tags: compare , root

Let $a$, $b$ and $m$ be three positive real numbers and $a>b$. Which of the numbers $A=\sqrt{a+m}-\sqrt{a}$ and $B=\sqrt{b+m}-\sqrt{b}$ is bigger:

1996 German National Olympiad, 6a

Tags: polynomial , root , algebra

Prove the following statement: If a polynomial $p(x) = x^3 + Ax^2 + Bx +C$ has three real positve roots at least two of which are distinct, then $A^2 +B^2 +18C > 0$.

1973 IMO, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial , root , minimum value , coefficient

Determine the minimum value of $a^{2} + b^{2}$ when $(a,b)$ traverses all the pairs of real numbers for which the equation \[ x^{4} + ax^{3} + bx^{2} + ax + 1 = 0 \] has at least one real root.

2005 Greece Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , polynomial , root

The side lengths of a triangle are the roots of a cubic polynomial with rational coefficients. Prove that the altitudes of this triangle are roots of a polynomial of sixth degree with rational coefficients.

2017 Hanoi Open Mathematics Competitions, 10

Tags: trinomial , integer , root , algebra

Find all non-negative integers $a, b, c$ such that the roots of equations: $\begin{cases}x^2 - 2ax + b = 0 \\ x^2- 2bx + c = 0 \\ x^2 - 2cx + a = 0 \end{cases}$ are non-negative integers.

2013 India Regional Mathematical Olympiad, 6

Tags: number theory , polynomial , root , factorial , greatest common divisor

Let $P(x)=x^3+ax^2+b$ and $Q(x)=x^3+bx+a$, where $a$ and $b$ are nonzero real numbers. Suppose that the roots of the equation $P(x)=0$ are the reciprocals of the roots of the equation $Q(x)=0$. Prove that $a$ and $b$ are integers. Find the greatest common divisor of $P(2013!+1)$ and $Q(2013!+1)$.

1969 IMO Longlists, 14

Tags: quadratic , algebra , inequality , root , polynomial

$(CZS 3)$ Let $a$ and $b$ be two positive real numbers. If $x$ is a real solution of the equation $x^2 + px + q = 0$ with real coefficients $p$ and $q$ such that $|p| \le a, |q| \le b,$ prove that $|x| \le \frac{1}{2}(a +\sqrt{a^2 + 4b})$ Conversely, if $x$ satisfies the above inequality, prove that there exist real numbers $p$ and $q$ with $|p|\le a, |q|\le b$ such that $x$ is one of the roots of the equation $x^2+px+ q = 0.$

1976 IMO Shortlist, 9

Tags: algebra , polynomial , recurrence relation , root , chebyshev polynomial

Let $P_{1}(x)=x^{2}-2$ and $P_{j}(x)=P_{1}(P_{j-1}(x))$ for j$=2,\ldots$ Prove that for any positive integer n the roots of the equation $P_{n}(x)=x$ are all real and distinct.

2000 Bosnia and Herzegovina Team Selection Test, 1

Tags: algebra , root , equation

Find real roots $x_1$, $x_2$ of equation $x^5-55x+21=0$, if we know $x_1\cdot x_2=1$

1988 IMO Longlists, 42

Tags: algebra , polynomial , vieta , inequality , root

Show that the solution set of the inequality \[ \sum^{70}_{k \equal{} 1} \frac {k}{x \minus{} k} \geq \frac {5}{4} \] is a union of disjoint intervals, the sum of whose length is 1988.

2020/2021 Tournament of Towns, P4

Tags: algebra , root

It is well-known that a quadratic equation has no more than 2 roots. Is it possible for the equation $\lfloor x^2\rfloor+px+q=0$ with $p\neq 0$ to have more than 100 roots? [i]Alexey Tolpygo[/i]

1976 IMO Longlists, 11

Tags: algebra , polynomial , recurrence relation , root , chebyshev polynomial

Let $P_{1}(x)=x^{2}-2$ and $P_{j}(x)=P_{1}(P_{j-1}(x))$ for j$=2,\ldots$ Prove that for any positive integer n the roots of the equation $P_{n}(x)=x$ are all real and distinct.

1941 Putnam, A4

Tags: polynomial , root

Let the roots $a,b,c$ of $$f(x)=x^3 +p x^2 + qx+r$$ be real, and let $a\leq b\leq c$. Prove that $f'(x)$ has a root in the interval $\left[\frac{b+c}{2}, \frac{b+2c}{3}\right]$. What will be the form of $f(x)$ if the root in question falls at either end of the interval?

1967 IMO Longlists, 48

Tags: algebra , equation , root , exponential equation

Determine all positive roots of the equation $ x^x = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}.$

2021 German National Olympiad, 1

Tags: quadratic , quadratic equation , root , algebra

Determine all real numbers $a,b,c$ and $d$ with the following property: The numbers $a$ and $b$ are distinct roots of $2x^2-3cx+8d$ and the numbers $c$ and $d$ are distinct roots of $2x^2-3ax+8b$.

1966 IMO Longlists, 48

Tags: algebra , equation , number theory , root , parametric equation

For which real numbers $p$ does the equation $x^{2}+px+3p=0$ have integer solutions ?

2017 India PRMO, 19

Tags: root , polynomial , algebra

Suppose $1, 2, 3$ are the roots of the equation $x^4 + ax^2 + bx = c$. Find the value of $c$.

2021 Hong Kong TST, 2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , root

Let $f(x)$ be a polynomial with rational coefficients, and let $\alpha$ be a real number. If \[\alpha^3-2019\alpha=(f(\alpha))^3-2019f(\alpha)=2021,\] prove that $(f^n(\alpha))^3-2019f^n(\alpha)=2021$ for any positive integer $n$. (Here, we define $f^n(x)=\underbrace{f(f(f\cdots f}_{n\text{ times}}(x)\cdots ))$.)

1970 Putnam, A2

Tags: algebra , polynomial , root

Consider the locus given by the real polynomial equation $$ Ax^2 +Bxy+Cy^2 +Dx^3 +E x^2 y +F xy^2 +G y^3=0,$$ where $B^2 -4AC <0.$ Prove that there is a positive number $\delta$ such that there are no points of the locus in the punctured disk $$0 <x^2 +y^2 < \delta^2.$$

2016 Irish Math Olympiad, 3

Tags: algebra , polynomial , root , sum

Do there exist four polynomials $P_1(x), P_2(x), P_3(x), P_4(x)$ with real coefficients, such that the sum of any three of them always has a real root, but the sum of any two of them has no real root?

2016 Saudi Arabia BMO TST, 1

Tags: algebra , root , polynomial

Given that the polynomial $P(x) = x^5 - x^2 + 1$ has $5$ roots $r_1, r_2, r_3, r_4, r_5$. Find the value of the product $Q(r_1)Q(r_2)Q(r_3)Q(r_4)Q(r_5)$, where $Q(x) = x^2 + 1$.