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Algebra Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Belarus

The polynomial p(x)p(x) with integer coefficients satisfies the equality
p(2+3)=23.p(\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}) = \sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3}.
a) Find all possible values of p(23)p(\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3}).
b) Give an example of at least one polynomial p(x)p(x) that satisfies the condition.

Solution

a) Consider any monomial anxna_n x^n of p(x)p(x) and substitute x=2+3x = \sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3} and x=23x = \sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3} into it. When opening the brackets in the expression an(2+3)na_n(\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3})^n, all terms will look like anCnm2k3ma_n C_n^m \sqrt{2}^k \sqrt{3}^m, where k+m=nk + m = n. If mm is even then if 2+3\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3} is replaced by 23\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3}, the sign of the term doesn't change, and the value of this term is a positive integer or a positive integer multiplied by 3\sqrt{3}. If mm is odd then with such a change the sign of the term changes and the value of this term is a positive integer multiplied by 3\sqrt{3} or a positive integer multiplied by 6\sqrt{6}. Since these observations are true for every monomial, they are also true for the value of the entire polynomial, i.e. p(23)=2+3p(\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3}) = \sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}.

b) It is easy to verify that p(x)=x310xp(x) = x^3 - 10x satisfies the problem conditions. Let's show how to find this example. Arguing as in paragraph a) we can write two more equalities: p(2+3)=2+3p(-\sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}) = \sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3} and p(23)=2+3p(-\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3}) = \sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}. These equalities show that numbers ±2±3\pm\sqrt{2} \pm\sqrt{3} satisfy the equality p(x)=1xp(x) = \frac{1}{x}, so they are roots of the polynomial xp(x)1=0x p(x) - 1 = 0. By Bezout's theorem, a polynomial with these roots is divisible by a polynomial
(x23)(x2+3)(x+23)(x+2+3)=x410x2+1. (x - \sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3})(x - \sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3})(x + \sqrt{2} - \sqrt{3})(x + \sqrt{2} + \sqrt{3}) = x^4 - 10x^2 + 1.
It remains to find p(x)p(x) from the equality xp(x)1=x410x2+1x p(x) - 1 = x^4 - 10x^2 + 1.

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