Let P(x)=ax3+(b−a)x2−(c+b)x+c, Q(x)=x4+(b−1)x3+(a−b)x2−(c+a)x+c be polynomials of the indeterminate x, where a,b,c are nonzero real numbers and b>0. If the polynomial P(x) has three different real roots x0,x1,x2, which are also roots of the polynomial Q(x), then: (a) Prove that: abc>28. (b) If a,b,c are nonzero integers with b>0, find their possible values.
Solution
(a) The sum of the coefficients of the polynomial P(x) is equal to 0. It means that 1 is one of its roots and so P(x)=ax3+(b−a)x2−(c+b)x+c=(x−1)(ax2+bx−c) If x0=1, from Vieta's formulas we have: x1+x2=−abandx1x2=−ac=0,(1) Moreover, from the hypothesis x0,x1,x2 are roots of the polynomial F(x)=Q(x)−P(x)=x4+(b−a−1)x3+2(a−b)x2+(b−a)x=x(x3+(b−a−1)x2+2(a−b)x+b−a)=x[x3−x2+(b−a)(x2−x)+(a−b)(x−1)]=x(x−1)[x2+(b−a)x+(a−b)]. Since F(x)=0⇔x=0 or x=1 or x2+(b−a)x+(a−b)=0 and x0,x1,x2=0, we conclude that: x0=1,x1+x2=a−b,x1x2=a−b.(2) From (1) and (2) we obtain: a−b=−ab=−ac⇒ b=c(3)ora2−ab=−b(4) From (3) and (4) we have: a2=b(a−1)⇒a>1 (since b>0) and b=c=a−1a2. We have that abc=a(a−1a2)2=(a−1)2a5=x=a−1≥0x2(x+1)5=x2x5+5x4+10x3+10x2+5x+1⇒abc=x3+(5x2+x21)+(10x+x5)+10.(5) Now we observe that: * x3>0, 5x2+x21>4⇔5x4−4x2+1>0⇔x4+(2x2−1)2>0, valid, * 10x+x5>14⇔x≥010x2−14x+5>0, is valid.
Finally, from (5) we get that: abc>28.
(b) As in the first question from relation b=a+1+a−11, since b,a+1 are integers, we obtain that a−11∈Z Therefore: a−1=±1⇔a=0 (it is rejected) or a=2. Then b=c=a−1a2=4. For these values the polynomial P(x)=ax3+(b−a)x2−(c+b)x+c=2x3+2x2−8x+4=2(x−1)(x2+2x−2) has roots x0=1, x1,2=−1±3 which are also roots of the polynomial F(x)=Q(x)−P(x)=x(x−1)(x2+(b−a)x+(a−b))=x(x2+2x−2), and therefore they are roots of the polynomial Q(x)=F(x)+P(x).
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