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Vijetnam, 2009

Algebra Difficulty 6.1 National Olympiad Prove it Vietnam

Given real numbers aa, bb, cc satisfying the condition: for each positive integer nn, an+bn+cna^n + b^n + c^n is an integer. Show that there exist integers pp, qq, rr such that aa, bb, cc are 3 solutions to the equation x3+px2+qx+r=0x^3 + px^2 + qx + r = 0.

Solution

For each positive integer nn, let Tn=an+bn+cnT_n = a^n + b^n + c^n. By assumption, Tn∈ZT_n \in \mathbb{Z} for all n≥1n \ge 1.
We will show that the numbers p=−(a+b+c)p = -(a + b + c), q=ab+bc+caq = ab + bc + ca and r=−abcr = -abc satisfy the requirement for the problem.
Indeed, according to the theorem of Viet, aa, bb, cc are 3 solutions of the equation
x3+px2+qx+r=0. x^3 + px^2 + qx + r = 0.
Moreover, since p=−T1p = -T_1, p∈Zp \in \mathbb{Z}. Next, we will show q,r∈Zq, r \in \mathbb{Z}.
We have the following presentations of TnT_n in terms of pp, qq, rr:
T1=−pT2=p2−2q \begin{align*} T_1 &= -p \\ T_2 &= p^2 - 2q \tag{4.1} \end{align*}
T3=−p3+3pq−3r(4.2) T_3 = -p^3 + 3pq - 3r \quad (4.2)
Tn+3=−pTn+2−qTn+1−rTn∀n≥1.(4.3) T_{n+3} = -pT_{n+2} - qT_{n+1} - rT_n \quad \forall n \ge 1. \quad (4.3)
Since T2T_2, p∈Zp \in \mathbb{Z}, it follows from (4.1) that 2q∈Z2q \in \mathbb{Z}. \qquad (4.4)
It follows from (4.2) that2pT3=−2p4+6p2q−6pr. \begin{align*} & \text{It follows from (4.2) that} \\ & \quad 2pT_3 = -2p^4 + 6p^2q - 6pr. \tag*{(4.5)} \end{align*}
Let n=1n=1 in (4.3), we have: T4=−pT3−qT2−rT1=p4−4p2q+4pr+2q2T_4 = -pT_3 - qT_2 - rT_1 = p^4 - 4p^2q + 4pr + 2q^2.
Consequently3T4=3p4−12p2q+12pr+6q2. \text{Consequently} \qquad 3T_4 = 3p^4 - 12p^2q + 12pr + 6q^2.
Hence, according to (4.4) and (4.5), we have 6q2∈Z6q^2 \in \mathbb{Z}. By means of (4.4), we get q∈Zq \in \mathbb{Z}.

Hence, according to (4.2), 3r∈Z3r \in \mathbb{Z}. That is rr has the form: r=m3r = \frac{m}{3}, m∈Zm \in \mathbb{Z}. (4.6)
On the other hand, it follows from (4.3) that: rTn∈Z∀n≥1rT_n \in \mathbb{Z} \quad \forall n \ge 1.
By means of (4.6), we conclude mTn≡0(mod3)∀n≥1mT_n \equiv 0 \pmod{3} \quad \forall n \ge 1. (4.7)
- If there exists nn such that (Tn,3)=1(T_n, 3) = 1 then according to (4.7) m≡0(mod3)m \equiv 0 \pmod{3}. Whence r∈Zr \in \mathbb{Z}.
- Consider the case Tn≡0(mod3)∀n≥1T_n \equiv 0 \pmod{3} \quad \forall n \ge 1. Then, since p≡T1≡0(mod3)p \equiv T_1 \equiv 0 \pmod{3} and T3≡0(mod3)T_3 \equiv 0 \pmod{3} we conclude by means of (4.2) that r∈Zr \in \mathbb{Z}. The proof is complete.

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