Fix a finite set S of integers. Is there a polynomial f(x) of integral coefficients such that for all integers x, f(x) is a perfect square if and only if x∈S?
Solution
Consider the polynomial f(x)=(g(x))2+(x2+1)2. If g(x)=0 holds for all x∈S, then f(x) is a perfect square. If g(x)>(x2+1)2 holds for all x∈Z∖S, then (g(x))2<f(x)<(g(x)+1)2, that is to say f(x) is not a perfect square. Thus we may take g(x)=MS∏s∈S(x−s)10, where MS is a sufficiently large constant such that g(x)>(x2+1)2 holds for all x∈Z∖S. Since the degree of g is greater than 4, MS exists. □
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