Given two non-constant polynomials with real coefficients. For a real number , we define
Denote by the set of real numbers such that . Suppose that the set contains at least two elements, prove that .
Solution
First we see that if the polynomial has a root with multiplicity , then also has the root with multiplicity .
Assume that are two distinct elements of and are the roots of with multiplicity , respectively.
Then are also the roots of .
Let be the roots of with multiplicity , respectively.
Then are also the roots of .
Assume that , and is not identically zero. Thus, , then we can get
a contradiction.
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