Given a polynomial f(x) with rational coefficients, of degree d≥2, we define the sequence of sets f0(Q),f1(Q),…, by f0(Q)=Q and then fn+1(Q)=f(fn(Q)) for n≥0. (Given a set S, we write f(S) for the set {f(x)∣x∈S}.) Let fω(Q)=⋂n=0∞fn(Q) be the set of numbers that are in all of the sets fn(Q). Prove that fω(Q) is a finite set. (Romania) Dan Schwarz
Solution
For any function f, denote its n-th iterate fn. Take d=degf≥2. One can write f(x)=N1(axd+g(x)) for some N∈Z+∗, a∈Z∗, and some g∈Z[x], with degg≤d−1, g(x)=∑i=0d−1aixi, ai∈Z, for all 0≤i≤d−1. Finally, fω(Q)⊂fn(Q)⊂fn−1(Q)⊆Q, for n≥1. For any x∈Q, one can uniquely write x=ν(x)μ(x), with μ(x),ν(x)∈Z, and ν(x)>0, gcd(μ(x),ν(x))=1. Take now M=∣a∣∑i=0d−1∣ai∣+2N+1, and M:={x∈Q;∣x∣>M},F:={x∈Q;ν(x)>a2}. Now, (Q∖F)∩(Q∖M) is obviously finite; take m to be its cardinality. For x∈M one has ∣f(x)∣≥∣x∣+1>M (see LEMMA 1), hence f(x)∈M. Then ∣fn(x)∣≥∣x∣+n. For x∈F one has ν(f(x))≥ν(x)+1>a2 (see LEMMA 2), hence f(x)∈F. Then ν(fn(x))≥ν(x)+n. Take x∈fω(Q), and take n large enough. Then we will have x∈fn(Q), hence there will exist xn∈Q such that fn(xn)=x. If fk(xn)∈M for n−k>∣x∣, then ∣x∣=∣fn(xn)∣=∣fn−k(fk(xn))∣≥∣fk(xn)∣+(n−k)>∣x∣, absurd. If fk(xn)∈F for n−k>ν(x), then ν(x)=ν(fn(xn))=ν(fn−k(fk(xn)))≥ν(fk(xn))+(n−k)>ν(x), absurd. Take n large enough so that n>m+max{∣x∣,ν(x)}. One then has fk(xn)∈(Q∖F)∩(Q∖M), for 0≤k≤m, therefore there will exist 0≤i<j≤m such that fi(xn)=fj(xn), therefore fn(xn)=fk(xn) for some i≤k≤j, hence x=fn(xn)=fk(xn)∈(Q∖F)∩(Q∖M). This implies fω(Q)⊆(Q∖F)∩(Q∖M), thus a finite set.
LEMMA 1. For x∈M one has ∣f(x)∣≥∣x∣+1>M. Proof. Clearly then ∣x∣>M>1. Now N∣a∣∣x∣d>N∑i=0d−1∣ai∣∣x∣d−1+∣x∣d+∣x∣d>N∑i=0d−1∣ai∣∣x∣i+∣x∣+1≥N∣g(x)∣+∣x∣+1. It follows that ∣f(x)∣=Naxd+g(x)≥(N∣a∣∣x∣d−N∣g(x)∣)>∣x∣+1>M. □
LEMMA 2. For x∈F one has ν(f(x))≥ν(x)+1>a2. Proof. For x∈F one can write f(x)=Nν(x)d1(aμ(x)d+ν(x)z)=ν(f(x))μ(f(x)), with z=ν(x)d−1g(x)∈Z. Now, for e=gcd(ν(x),a), one has ν(x)=er, a=eb, with gcd(r,b)=1. Then it follows that δ=gcd(aμ(x)d+ν(x)z,Nν(x)d)≤N⋅gcd(eμ(x)d+erz,edrd)=Ne⋅gcd(bμ(x)d+rz,ed−1rd)=Ne⋅gcd(bμ(x)d+rz,ed−1), since from previous relations gcd(bμ(x),r)=1. Lastly δ≤Ne⋅gcd(bμ(x)d+rz,ed−1)≤Need−1=Ned≤N∣a∣d. Therefore ν(f(x))=δNν(x)d≥N∣a∣dNν(x)d>ν(x), since ν(x)>a2≥∣a∣d−1d. It follows that ν(f(x))≥ν(x)+1>a2. □
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