Find all polynomials with real coefficients satisfying the simultaneous equations
Solution
We first show that it is not possible for all four polynomials to be non-zero. Suppose they are. Denote the leading coefficients of the polynomials (which exist, because the polynomials are non-zero) by , respectively. Then the first equation implies and thus . In the second equation, the leading coefficient of is and the leading coefficient of is . Since the degree of is at least 2, these leading coefficients must cancel if we wish to end up with on the right. Thus , which implies that . We have two contradictory inequalities, proving that this system has no solution when all four polynomials are non-zero.
Now suppose that . Then, by the first equation, or . If , we see that the second equation is not satisfied. If , we see that, again, the second equation is not satisfied, due to differences in degrees. Similarly, when , we find, in a symmetrical way, that there are no solutions.
Henceforth, we assume that both and are non-zero. So either or (or both) must be zero. From the first equation, if and only if . It follows that the complete set of solutions is given by all where and , i.e.,