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Algebra Difficulty 5.3 AIME, harder Prove it Saudi Arabia

Find all polynomials PP with real coefficients such that for all x,y,zRx, y, z \in \mathbb{R},
P(x)+P(y)+P(z)+P(x+y+z)=P(x+y)+P(y+z)+P(z+x). P(x) + P(y) + P(z) + P(x + y + z) = P(x + y) + P(y + z) + P(z + x).

Solution

Assume that P(t)=antn++a1t+a0P(t) = a_n t^n + \ldots + a_1 t + a_0, where an0a_n \neq 0. Taking x=y=zx = y = z in the given relation, it follows
3P(x)+P(3x)=3P(2x). 3 P(x) + P(3x) = 3 P(2x).
Looking for the coefficient of xnx^n in this equation, we obtain the relation 3+3n=32n3 + 3^n = 3 \cdot 2^n, that is 3n1=2n13^{n-1} = 2^n - 1. This relation holds for n=1n = 1 and n=2n = 2. For n3n \geq 3 we prove by induction that 3n1>2n13^{n-1} > 2^n - 1.

If n=0n = 0, that is PP is a constant polynomial P(t)=cP(t) = c, then it follows, for example from the above, that c=0c = 0.

If n=1n = 1, that is P(t)=btP(t) = b t, b0b \neq 0, then an easy checking shows that it satisfies the relation in the problem.

If n=2n = 2, we can choose P(t)=at2P(t) = a t^2, a0a \neq 0, which also satisfies the relation.

Finally, we find that all desired polynomials are
P(t)=at2+bt, P(t) = a t^2 + b t,
where a,bRa, b \in \mathbb{R}.

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