Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /12 of 18

Algebra Difficulty 8.3 Shortlist Prove it Romania

Let pp be a prime number, let n1,n2,,npn_1, n_2, \dots, n_p be positive integer numbers, and let dd be the greatest common divisor of the numbers n1,n2,,npn_1, n_2, \dots, n_p. Prove that the polynomial
Xn1+Xn2++XnppXd1 \frac{X^{n_1} + X^{n_2} + \dots + X^{n_p} - p}{X^d - 1}
is irreducible in Q[X]\mathbb{Q}[X].

Solution

Clearly, f=(Xn1+Xn2++Xnpp)/(Xd1)f = (X^{n_1}+X^{n_2}+\dots+X^{n_p}-p)/(X^d-1) is a polynomial with integral coefficients. If all nin_i are equal, then f=pf = p, a constant polynomial; therefore assume at least two of the nin_i are distinct. By Gauss' Lemma, it is sufficient to prove ff irreducible in Z[X]\mathbb{Z}[X]. We claim that the roots of ff all lie outside the closed unit disc in the complex plane. Assuming the claim, suppose, if possible, that f=ghf = gh is a non-trivial factorization of ff in Z[X]\mathbb{Z}[X]. Since f(0)=pf(0) = p, a prime, one of the numbers g(0)|g(0)|, h(0)|h(0)| is 1. To reach a contradiction, notice that g(0)g(0) and h(0)h(0) are both products of roots of ff, all of which lie outside the closed unit disc, so g(0)|g(0)| and h(0)|h(0)| are both greater than 1.

Back to the claim, write
Xn1+Xn2++Xnpp=(Xd1)f.() X^{n_1} + X^{n_2} + \dots + X^{n_p} - p = (X^d - 1)f. \quad (*)
Suppose, if possible, that ff has a root zz in the closed unit disc. Then
p=zn1+zn2++znpzn1+zn2++znpp, p = |z^{n_1} + z^{n_2} + \dots + z^{n_p}| \le |z|^{n_1} + |z|^{n_2} + \dots + |z|^{n_p} \le p,
which forces z=1|z| = 1 and znkn>0z^{n_k - n_\ell} > 0 whatever kk and \ell. Consequently, the znkz^{n_k} are all equal to some complex number ww, so
p(w1)=zn1+zn2++znpp=0; p(w - 1) = z^{n_1} + z^{n_2} + \dots + z^{n_p} - p = 0;
that is, w=1w = 1. Now write d=n1t1+n2t2++nptpd = n_1 t_1 + n_2 t_2 + \dots + n_p t_p, for some integer numbers t1,t2,,tpt_1, t_2, \dots, t_p, to get
zd=zn1t1+n2t2++nptp=(zn1)t1(zn2)t2(znp)tp=1. z^d = z^{n_1 t_1 + n_2 t_2 + \dots + n_p t_p} = (z^{n_1})^{t_1} (z^{n_2})^{t_2} \dots (z^{n_p})^{t_p} = 1.
Finally, to reach a contradiction, evaluate the formal derivatives of both sides of ()(*) at zz. The left-hand side is (n1+n2++np)/z(n_1 + n_2 + \dots + n_p)/z, while the right-hand side vanishes.

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 and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.