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Algebra Difficulty 8.6 Shortlist Prove it China

Let nn be a positive integer. The polynomial with complex coefficients
P(z)=anzn+an1zn1++a1z+a0(an0) P(z) = a_n z^n + a_{n-1} z^{n-1} + \dots + a_1 z + a_0 \quad (a_n \neq 0)
satisfies: for any complex number zz with z=1|z| = 1, we have P(z)1|P(z)| \le 1.
Prove that for any k{0,1,,n1}k \in \{0, 1, \dots, n-1\}, we have ak1an2|a_k| \le 1 - |a_n|^2.

Solution

Proof. Let {1,2,,n}\ell \in \{1, 2, \dots, n\}. For a complex number αC\alpha \in \mathbb{C}, consider
Q(z)=P(z)(1+αz)=αanzn+++αan+1zn+1+(an+αan)zn++(a+αa0)z+a1z1++a0. \begin{aligned} Q(z) &= P(z)(1 + \alpha z^{\ell}) \\ &= \alpha a_n z^{n+\ell} + \dots + \alpha a_{n-\ell+1} z^{n+1} + (a_n + \alpha a_{n-\ell}) z^n + \dots + (a_{\ell} + \alpha a_0) z^{\ell} \\ &\quad + a_{\ell-1} z^{\ell-1} + \dots + a_0. \end{aligned}
Take M>2nM > 2n, then
j=1MQ(ei2jπM)2=j=1MP(ei2jπM)2(1+αei2jπM)2j=1M(1+αei2jπM)2=M(1+α2). \begin{aligned} \sum_{j=1}^{M} \left| Q \left( e^{i \frac{2j\pi}{M}} \right) \right|^2 &= \sum_{j=1}^{M} \left| P \left( e^{i \frac{2j\pi}{M}} \right) \right|^2 \cdot \left| \left( 1 + \alpha e^{i \frac{2j\pi}{M}\ell} \right) \right|^2 \\ &\le \sum_{j=1}^{M} \left| \left( 1 + \alpha e^{i \frac{2j\pi}{M}\ell} \right) \right|^2 = M(1 + |\alpha|^2). \end{aligned}
On the other hand,
j=1MQ(ei2jπM)2=M(αan2++αan+12+j=nanj++αanj2+a12++a02). \sum_{j=1}^{M} \left| Q \left( e^{i \frac{2j\pi}{M}} \right) \right|^2 = M \cdot \left( |\alpha a_n|^2 + \dots + |\alpha a_{n-\ell+1}|^2 + \sum_{j=\ell}^{n} |a_{n-j+\ell} + \alpha a_{n-j}|^2 + |a_{\ell-1}|^2 + \dots + |a_0|^2 \right).
Combining the above two estimates, we get
α2(an2++an+12)+j=nanj++αanj2+a12++a021+α2. |\alpha|^2(|a_n|^2 + \dots + |a_{n-\ell+1}|^2) + \sum_{j=\ell}^{n} |a_{n-j+\ell} + \alpha a_{n-j}|^2 + |a_{\ell-1}|^2 + \dots + |a_0|^2 \le 1 + |\alpha|^2.
In particular,
αan2+an+αan21+α2. |\alpha a_n|^2 + |a_n + \alpha a_{n-\ell}|^2 \le 1 + |\alpha|^2.
Choosing αC\alpha \in \mathbb{C} such that α=1an|\alpha| = \frac{1}{|a_n|} and arg(an)=arg(αan)\arg(a_n) = \arg(\alpha a_{n-\ell}) in the above equation, we get
1+(an+anan)21+1an2. 1 + \left( |a_n| + \frac{|a_{n-\ell}|}{|a_n|} \right)^2 \le 1 + \frac{1}{|a_n|^2}.
Solving this gives an1an2|a_{n-\ell}| \le 1 - |a_n|^2. The proof is complete.

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