Determine all polynomials satisfying the following two conditions:
(a) and
(b) for all real numbers .
Solution
Letting we get the two new conditions and , .
We now define the sequence recursively by and , . A straightforward induction yields , , because .
Because of the two polynomials and coincide at infinitely many arguments . Therefore, and thus the unique polynomial satisfying the two conditions of our problem is .
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