Find all polynomials with real coefficients for which the equality
holds for every real number .
Solution
The constant polynomial is a solution if and only if , thus the polynomials and are solutions of the problem.
We claim that the only polynomial of a positive degree which solves the equation is of the form . In view of the identity , the latter is clearly a solution for any .
If () is the leading term of a polynomial of a positive degree , then is the leading term of the polynomial and is the leading term of the polynomial . If satisfies the given equality, comparing the leading order terms thus gives , hence . The polynomial can therefore be written in the form , where is either identically zero, or is a nonzero polynomial of degree , where . Comparing the polynomials
we obtain (upon multiplying out the brackets and cancelling the terms on both sides) the equality
The zero polynomial clearly satisfies this relation. For a nonzero of degree , however, is a polynomial of degree , while on the right-hand side of the last equation there is a polynomial of degree (whose leading term is , if is the leading order term of the polynomial ). Since , this is not possible.
Conclusion. The solutions are the constant polynomials and and the polynomial for any natural number .