Let α∈(1,+∞) be a real number, and let P(x)∈R[x] be a monic polynomial with degree 24, such that (i) P(0)=1. (ii) P(x) has exactly 24 positive real roots that are all less than or equal to α. Show that ∣P(1)∣≤(519)5(α−1)24.
Solution
Let x1,x2,…,x24 be the roots of the polynomial P(x). Then 0<x1,x2,…,x24≤α, x1x2⋯x24=1 and we have to prove ∣(x1−1)(x2−1)⋯(x24−1)∣≤(519)5(α−1)24. If among the numbers x1,x2,…,x24 there is a number equal to 1 then the inequality is obviously true. Consider the case where these numbers are all different from 1. Without loss of generality, assume x1≤x2≤⋯≤xk<1<xk+1≤xk+2≤⋯≤x24≤α. The inequality to be proven is rewritten as (1−x1)(1−x2)⋯(1−xk)(xk+1−1)(xk+2−1)⋯(x24−1)≤(519)5(α−1)24.(1) Let t=kx1x2⋯xk. Using the AM-GM inequality, we have (1−x1)(1−x2)⋯(1−xk)≤(kk−x1−x2−⋯−xk)k≤(1−t)k.(2) Now, for each k+1≤i≤24, let xi=eyi and let l=e24−kyk+1+⋯+y24. Obviously 0<yk+1≤⋯≤y24≤lnα. Consider the function h(x)=ln(ex−1) on the domain (0,+∞), we have h′′(x)=−(ex−1)2ex<0 so the function h is concave on the domain (0,+∞). Therefore, according to Jensen's inequality, we have h(yk+1)+⋯+h(y24)≤(24−k)h(24−kyk+1+⋯+y24), or (xk+1−1)(xk+2−1)⋯(x24−1)≤(l−1)24−k.(3) Using the inequalities (2) and (3), it can be seen that, to prove the inequality (1), we only need to prove (1−t)k(l−1)24−k≤(519)5(α−1)24. Since tkl24−k=1 then t=l−k24−k the above inequality can be rewritten as (1−lk24−k1)k(l−1)24−k≤(519)5(α−1)24.(4) Since 1<l≤α we have LHS of (4)=(lk24−k−1)k(1−l1)24−k≤(αk24−k−1)k(1−α1)24−k=α24−k(αk24−k−1)k(α−1)24−k Thus, to prove the inequality (4), we only need to prove α24−k(αk24−k−1)k(α−1)24−k≤(519)5(α−1)24 or f(α)≤(519)5,(5) where f(x)=x24−k(x−1)k(xk24−k−1)k. We have lnf(x)=kln(xk24−k−1)−(24−k)lnx−kln(x−1). Therefore f(x)f′(x)=x(xk24−k−1)(24−k)xk24−k−x24−k−x−1k=−x(x−1)(xk24−k−1)kxk24−24x+(24−k) Using the AM-GM inequality, we have kxk24−24x+(24−k)>0. Therefore f′(x)<0, implies f is a decreasing function on the domain (1,+∞). Therefore, we deduce that f(α)≤x→1+limf(x)=(k24−k)k. Thus, to prove the inequality (5), we only need to prove that (k24−k)k≤(519)5, or ln(24−k)−lnk≤k5ln519. Consider the function g(x)=ln(24−x)−lnx−x5ln519 with 1≤x≤23. We have g′(x)=−24−x1−x1+x25ln519=−x2(24−x)x(5ln519+24)−120ln519 The equation g′(x)=0 has a unique solution x0. In addition, it is easy to see that g′(5)g′(6)<0 so x0∈(5,6). Because g′(x)>0 with x<x0 and g′(x)<0 with x>x0, g(x) reaches its maximum value at x=x0. Because k is a positive integer, we have g(k)≤max{g(5),g(6)}=0. □
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