Problem:
Determine, with proof, whether there is a function of two positive integers, taking positive integer values, such that
- For each fixed , is a polynomial function of ;
- For each fixed , is a polynomial function of ;
- However, does not equal any polynomial function of and .
Solution
Solution:
The answer is yes. Consider the following expression:
Here, although the sum appears to be infinite, if we fix a value , all but the first terms contain the factor and therefore equal . Therefore is defined and indeed is a polynomial in . (The initial term is merely to ensure that is always positive.) Symmetrically, when is fixed, becomes a polynomial in .
It remains to prove that is not a polynomial in and . If so, we can expand as a finite sum of terms ; let be the largest exponent occurring. Then, for every , is a polynomial in of degree at most . However, we see that is a polynomial in of degree . Taking yields a contradiction.
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.