Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /2 of 45

Algebra Difficulty 7.4 National Olympiad, round 2 Prove it United States

Determine all positive integers nn such that the (3-variable) polynomial
Pn(x,y,z)=(xy)2n(yz)2n+(yz)2n(zx)2n+(zx)2n(xy)2n P_n(x, y, z) = (x - y)^{2n}(y - z)^{2n} + (y - z)^{2n}(z - x)^{2n} + (z - x)^{2n}(x - y)^{2n}
divides the (3-variable) polynomial
Qn(x,y,z)=[(xy)2n+(yz)2n+(zx)2n]2n. Q_n(x, y, z) = [(x - y)^{2n} + (y - z)^{2n} + (z - x)^{2n}]^{2n}.

Solutions — 2

Solution 1

Suppose that PnQnP_n \mid Q_n, so that Qn(x,y,z)=Rn(x,y,z)Pn(x,y,z)Q_n(x, y, z) = R_n(x, y, z)P_n(x, y, z). Define pn(x)=Pn(x,0,1)p_n(x) = P_n(x, 0, -1) and qn(x)=Qn(x,0,1)q_n(x) = Q_n(x, 0, -1). Then, we have qn=Rn(x,0,1)pnq_n = R_n(x, 0, -1)p_n, so that pnqnp_n \mid q_n as real polynomials in xx. Furthermore, pnp_n and qnq_n both have integer coefficients, and pnp_n is monic. Hence, Rn(x,0,1)R_n(x, 0, -1) has integer coefficients as a polynomial in xx, and in particular, it evaluates to an integer whenever xx is an integer. Thus, for any integer aa, we have pn(a)qn(a)p_n(a) \mid q_n(a) as integers.

Plugging in a=1a = 1, we find that 22n+1+1(22n+2)2n2^{2n+1} + 1 \mid (2^{2n} + 2)^{2n}. Now, suppose pp is a prime such that p22n+1+1p \mid 2^{2n+1} + 1. Then p22n+2p \mid 2^{2n} + 2, and so
022n+1+12(22n+2)3(modp). 0 \equiv 2^{2n+1} + 1 - 2(2^{2n} + 2) \equiv -3 \pmod{p}.
Therefore, p=3p = 3, which means that 22n+1+1=3k2^{2n+1} + 1 = 3^k for some kk.

Note that the left hand side of this equation is always 1 modulo 4, so kk must be even. Letting k=2mk = 2m, we have 22n+1=(3m+1)(3m1)2^{2n+1} = (3^m + 1)(3^m - 1). It follows that 3m+13^m + 1 and 3m13^m - 1 are both powers of 2, whence m=1m = 1 and n=1n = 1. Thus, n=1n = 1 is the only solution.

Solution 2

We give an alternate way to show that PnP_n does not divide QnQ_n for n2n \ge 2. Notice that for any complex r1r \ne -1, we have
Pn(1,0,1r+1)=1(r+1)2n+r2n(r+1)4n+r2n(r+1)2n=(r2n+1)(r+1)2n+r2n(r+1)4n P_n \left(1, 0, \frac{1}{r+1}\right) = \frac{1}{(r+1)^{2n}} + \frac{r^{2n}}{(r+1)^{4n}} + \frac{r^{2n}}{(r+1)^{2n}} = \frac{(r^{2n}+1)(r+1)^{2n} + r^{2n}}{(r+1)^{4n}}
and
Qn(1,0,1r+1)=[1+1(r+1)2n+r2n(r+1)2n]2n=[(r+1)2n+(r2n+1)(r+1)2n]2n. Q_n \left(1, 0, \frac{1}{r+1}\right) = \left[1 + \frac{1}{(r+1)^{2n}} + \frac{r^{2n}}{(r+1)^{2n}}\right]^{2n} = \left[\frac{(r+1)^{2n} + (r^{2n}+1)}{(r+1)^{2n}}\right]^{2n}.
It suffices for us to find an rr such that Pn(1,0,1r+1)=0P_n(1, 0, \frac{1}{r+1}) = 0, but Qn(1,0,1r+1)0Q_n(1, 0, \frac{1}{r+1}) \ne 0. Set Fn(x)=(x2n+1)(x+1)2n+x2nF_n(x) = (x^{2n} + 1)(x+1)^{2n} + x^{2n}, so that Pn(1,0,1r+1)=0P_n(1, 0, \frac{1}{r+1}) = 0 if and only if Fn(r)=0F_n(r) = 0. In these terms, it suffices to find an rr so that Fn(r)=0F_n(r) = 0 and
(r+r2)2n1=Fn(r)+((r+r2)2n1)=(r+1)2n+(r2n+1)0. (r + r^2)^{2n} - 1 = F_n(r) + ((r + r^2)^{2n} - 1) = (r + 1)^{2n} + (r^{2n} + 1) \neq 0.
Suppose for the sake of contradiction that no such rr existed. Then, for any root rr of FnF_n, we have that r2n(r+1)2n=1r^{2n}(r+1)^{2n} = 1, implying that
r2nFn(r)=r2n[(r+1)2n+r2n+1]=r4n+r2n+1=0. r^{2n}F_n(r) = r^{2n}[(r+1)^{2n} + r^{2n} + 1] = r^{4n} + r^{2n} + 1 = 0.
Thus, r2nr^{2n} is a primitive third root of unity, so 1+r2n1+r^{2n} is the negation of a primitive third root of unity. In particular, both r2nr^{2n} and 1+r2n1+r^{2n} have unit norm. Now, because Fn(r)=0F_n(r) = 0, we have
(1+r)2n=r2n1+r2n, (1+r)^{2n} = \frac{r^{2n}}{1+r^{2n}},
which implies that both 1+r1+r and rr have unit norm and hence that rr is itself a primitive third root of unity. Therefore, any root of Fn(x)F_n(x) is a primitive root third root of unity, so we must have Fn(x)=c(x2+x+1)2nF_n(x) = c(x^2+x+1)^{2n} for some non-zero constant cc. Multiplying both sides by (x1)2n(x-1)^{2n}, we obtain
c(x31)2n=(x1)2nFn(x)=(x21)2n(x2n+1)+x2n(x1)2n. c(x^3 - 1)^{2n} = (x-1)^{2n} F_n(x) = (x^2 - 1)^{2n}(x^{2n} + 1) + x^{2n}(x-1)^{2n}.
The x2x^2 coefficient of the polynomial on the left is 0, while the x2x^2 coefficient of the polynomial on the right is 2n-2n, a contradiction. Therefore, we may find an rr with the desired property, as needed.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty) added by this project.