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Number theory Difficulty 9.0 IMO level Prove it Estonia

Let a simple polynomial function be a polynomial function P(x)P(x) whose coefficients belong to the set {1,0,1}\{-1, 0, 1\}. Let nn be a positive integer, n>1n > 1. Find the smallest possible number of non-zero coefficients in a simple polynomial function of nnth order whose values at all integral arguments are divisible by nn.

Answer: 2.

Solution

A single non-zero coefficient is not sufficient for any n>1n > 1 as the only simple polynomial functions with a single non-zero coefficient are P(x)=xnP(x) = x^n and P(x)=xnP(x) = -x^n but in both cases nP(1)n \nmid P(1). Let us show that the values of the polynomial function Pn(x)=xnxnφ(n)P_n(x) = x^n - x^{n-\varphi(n)} at all integral arguments are divisible by nn. (Here φ\varphi is the Euler's totient function.) This shows that having 2 non-zero coefficients is sufficient.

Let kk be an integer. Let the canonical form of nn be p1α1pmαmp_1^{\alpha_1} \cdots p_m^{\alpha_m} and let us assume without loss of generality that kk is divisible by primes p1,,plp_1, \dots, p_l and is not divisible by primes pl+1,,pmp_{l+1}, \dots, p_m. Define u=p1α1plαlu = p_1^{\alpha_1} \cdots p_l^{\alpha_l} and v=pl+1αl+1pmαmv = p_{l+1}^{\alpha_{l+1}} \cdots p_m^{\alpha_m}. Let us now show that uknφ(n)u \mid k^{n-\varphi(n)} and vkφ(n)1v \mid k^{\varphi(n)} - 1. Having uv=nuv = n, we can conclude that nPn(k)n \mid P_n(k) as Pn(k)=knknφ(n)=knφ(n)(kφ(n)1)P_n(k) = k^n - k^{n-\varphi(n)} = k^{n-\varphi(n)}(k^{\varphi(n)} - 1).

To prove that uknφ(n)u \mid k^{n-\varphi(n)}, it is sufficient to prove for all i=1,,li = 1, \dots, l that piαiknφ(n)p_i^{\alpha_i} \mid k^{n-\varphi(n)}. It is sufficient to prove that αinφ(n)\alpha_i \le n - \varphi(n), as by the assumption pikp_i \mid k. Inequality αinφ(n)\alpha_i \le n - \varphi(n) holds as pip_i, pi2,,piαip_i^2, \dots, p_i^{\alpha_i} are αi\alpha_i positive integers which are not greater than nn and not coprime with nn.

To prove the statement vkφ(n)1v \mid k^{\varphi(n)} - 1, we derive from Euler's theorem that vkφ(v)1v \mid k^{\varphi(v)} - 1 as kk and vv are coprime. Also, uu and vv are coprime, therefore, φ(n)=φ(uv)=φ(u)φ(v)\varphi(n) = \varphi(uv) = \varphi(u)\varphi(v) from which kφ(v)1kφ(n)1k^{\varphi(v)} - 1 \mid k^{\varphi(n)} - 1. Consequently, vkφ(n)1v \mid k^{\varphi(n)} - 1.

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