Find all positive integers a for which there exists a polynomial p(x) with integer coefficients such that p(2+1)=2−2undp(2+2)=a.
Solution
a=7k−2 where k is an arbitrary positive integer.
Suppose that the integer a and the polynomial p(x) satisfy the condition. For the polynomial q(x)=p(x+1), the equalities from the condition have the form q(2)=2−2 and q(1+2)=a. Since the coefficients of the polynomial q(x) are integers, the equality q(−2)=2+2 is true. Therefore the numbers 2 and −2 satisfy the equality q(x)=2−x, i.e. they are roots of the polynomial q(x)+x−2. According to Bezout's theorem, the polynomial q(x)+x−2 is divisible by (x−2)(x+2)=x2−2. Let q(x)+x−2=(x2−2)h(x), then the Gauss lemma implies that the rational coefficients of the polynomial h(x) are integers. Substitute into the resulting equality x=1+2 and take into account that q(1+2)=a, after transformations we obtain the equality a+2−1=(1+22)⋅h(1+2).(1) Since the coefficients of the polynomial h(x) are integers, a−2−1=(1−22)⋅h(1−2). Let's multiply this equality with (1): (a−1)2−2=−7⋅(h(1+2)⋅h(1−2)). Since the expression in brackets is a product of conjugate numbers, it is an integer, so (a−1)2−2 is divisible by 7. This is equivalent to saying that a is congruent to 4 or 5 modulo 7.
For the numbers a=7k+4, k∈Z, equality (1) takes the form 7k+3−2=(1+22)⋅h(1+2), which is equivalent to h(1+2)=1+227k+3−2=71−7k+714k+5⋅2, which is impossible, since the coefficients h(x) are integers.
For numbers a=7k+5, k∈Z, equality (1) takes the form 7k+4−2=(1+22)⋅h(1+2), which is equivalent to h(1+2)=1+227k+4−2=(2k−1)2−k, therefore, one can choose the polynomial h(x)=(2k−1)x−(3k−1). Therefore, all such numbers satisfy the condition.
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Source: MathNet,
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