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Number theory Difficulty 6.0 AIME, harder Prove it Mongolia

Let f(x)f(x) be a polynomial with integer coefficients, which has no multiple roots and degf1\deg f \ge 1. Prove that for every positive integer kk,
Pk(f)={pPordp(f(x))=k,xZ}=. P_k(f) = |\{p \in \mathbb{P} \mid \mathrm{ord}_p(f(x)) = k, \exists x \in \mathbb{Z}\}| = \infty.
(proposed by G. Batzaya)

Solution

Lemma. Let f(x)f(x) be a polynomial of degree greater than or equal to 11.
P(f(x))={pPpf(x),xZ}= \mathbb{P}'(f(x)) = |\{p \in \mathbb{P} \mid p|f(x), \exists x \in \mathbb{Z}\}| = \infty
Proof of lemma: Assume f(x)=bkxk++b0f(x) = b_kx^k + \dots + b_0, k1k \ge 1. Suppose the contrary, P(f(x))<\mathbb{P}'(f(x)) < \infty; we have above prime numbers finite p1,,psp_1, \dots, p_s. Now substituting x=b0tp1psx = b_0 t p_1 \dots p_s, we get
f(x)=b0(bkb0k1(tp1ps)k++1) f(x) = b_0 (b_k \cdot b_0^{k-1}(t p_1 \dots p_s)^k + \dots + 1)
and there exists pp-prime number such that
pbkb0k1(tp1ps)k++1,(p,p1ps)=1. p|b_k \cdot b_0^{k-1}(t p_1 \dots p_s)^k + \dots + 1, \quad (p, p_1 \dots p_s) = 1.
This leads to a contradiction.

Now let us solve the problem. From the given condition we have (f,f)=1(f, f') = 1. Hence there exist g,hZ[x]g, h \in \mathbb{Z}[x] such that
f(x)g(x)+f(x)h(x)=a,0aZ.(1) f(x) \cdot g(x) + f'(x) \cdot h(x) = a, \quad 0 \neq a \in \mathbb{Z}. \qquad (1)
Now we will show it is enough that there exists x0Zx_0 \in \mathbb{Z} such that for arbitrary pP(f(x))p \in \mathbb{P}'(f(x)), and p>a:ordp(f(x0))=kp > |a| : \mathrm{ord}_p(f(x_0)) = k. If pP(f(x))p \in \mathbb{P}'(f(x)) then there exists x0Zx_0 \in \mathbb{Z} such that pf(x0)p|f(x_0).

Moreover, if pαf(x0)p^\alpha|f(x_0) then there is a x0Zx'_0 \in \mathbb{Z} such that pα+1f(x0)p^{\alpha+1}|f(x'_0). Also p>ap > |a| from here, we can see that (f(x0),p)=1(f'(x_0), p) = 1.

If we put x=pαt+x0x = p^\alpha \cdot t + x_0, here s1s \ge 1:
(pαt+x0)ss(tpα)x0s1+x0s(modpα+1) (p^\alpha t + x_0)^s \equiv s \cdot (t p^\alpha) \cdot x_0^{s-1} + x_0^s \pmod{p^{\alpha+1}}
Thus f(pαt+x0)tpαf(x0)+f(x0)(modpα+1)f(p^\alpha \cdot t + x_0) \equiv t p^\alpha f'(x_0) + f(x_0) \pmod{p^{\alpha+1}}; here we have (p,f(x0))=1(p, f'(x_0)) = 1. Therefore there exists tZt \in \mathbb{Z} such that
ptf(x0)+f(x0)pα. p|t \cdot f'(x_0) + \frac{f(x_0)}{p^\alpha}.
Now assume that pk+1f(x0)p^{k+1}|f(x_0). Thus substituting
x=pk+x0:f(pk+x0)pkf(x0)+f(x0). x = p^k + x_0 : f(p^k + x_0) \equiv p^k f'(x_0) + f(x_0).
Otherwise, that is ordp(f(x0+pk))=k\mathrm{ord}_p(f(x_0 + p^k)) = k.

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