Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2010

Algebra Difficulty 5.7 AIME, harder Prove it Canada

Let P(x)P(x) and Q(x)Q(x) be polynomials with integer coefficients. Let an=n!+na_n = n! + n. Show that if P(an)/Q(an)P(a_n)/Q(a_n) is an integer for every nn, then P(n)/Q(n)P(n)/Q(n) is an integer for every integer nn such that Q(n)0Q(n) \neq 0.

Solution

Imagine dividing P(x)P(x) by Q(x)Q(x). We find that
P(x)Q(x)=A(x)+R(x)Q(x), \frac{P(x)}{Q(x)} = A(x) + \frac{R(x)}{Q(x)},
where A(x)A(x) and R(x)R(x) are polynomials with rational coefficients, and R(x)R(x) is either identically 00 or has degree less than the degree of Q(x)Q(x).
By bringing the coefficients of A(x)A(x) to their least common multiple, we can find a polynomial B(x)B(x) with integer coefficients, and a positive integer bb, such that A(x)=B(x)/bA(x) = B(x)/b. Suppose first that R(x)R(x) is not identically 00. Note that for any integer kk, either A(k)=0A(k) = 0, or A(k)1/b|A(k)| \ge 1/b. But whenever k|k| is large enough, 0<R(k)/Q(k)<1/b0 < |R(k)/Q(k)| < 1/b, and therefore if nn is large enough, P(an)/Q(an)P(a_n)/Q(a_n) cannot be an integer.
So R(x)R(x) is identically 00, and P(x)/Q(x)=B(x)/bP(x)/Q(x) = B(x)/b (at least whenever Q(x)0Q(x) \neq 0.)
Now let nn be an integer. Then there are infinitely many integers kk such that nak(modb)n \equiv a_k \pmod b. But B(ak)/bB(a_k)/b is an integer, or equivalently bb divides B(ak)B(a_k). It follows that bb divides B(n)B(n), and therefore P(n)/Q(n)P(n)/Q(n) is an integer. \square

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