Olympiad Maths Prep

Library / /25 of 29

Algebra Difficulty 6.9 National olympiad Prove it Iran

P(x)P(x) is a non-constant monic polynomial with integer coefficients. Assume that P1(x),P2(x),,Pn(x)P_1(x), P_2(x), \dots, P_n(x) are monic polynomials with integer coefficients such that for all 1in1 \le i \le n, deg(Pi)deg(P)\deg(P_i) \ge \deg(P). We know that for any natural number xx, there exists a natural number yy and an index ii (1in1 \le i \le n), such that P(x)=Pi(y)P(x) = P_i(y). Prove that there exists an index jj (1jn1 \le j \le n) and a natural number kk such that P(x)=Pj(x+k)P(x) = P_j(x+k).

Solution

We firstly prove that there exists an index ii such that degPi(x)=degP(x)\deg P_i(x) = \deg P(x) and P(x)=Pi(y)P(x) = P_i(y) for infinitely many x,yNx, y \in \mathbb{N}.
Assume to the contrary. Let the degree of Pt+1(x),,Pn(x)P_{t+1}(x), \dots, P_n(x) be equal to degP(x)\deg P(x) and degPi(x)>degP(x)\deg P_i(x) > \deg P(x) for all i{1,2,,t}i \in \{1, 2, \dots, t\}.
Consider a sufficiently large N0N_0 such that:
1) P(x)P(x) is increasing for all real numbers x>N0x > N_0.
2) P(x)Pi(y)P(x) \neq P_i(y) for all positive integers t+1int+1 \le i \le n and x,yx, y.
3) Pi(x)>P(kx)P_i(x) > P(kx) for all positive integers 1it1 \le i \le t, all real numbers x>N0x > N_0, and a fixed number k>tk > t.
4) Pi(x)P_i(x) is increasing for all positive integers 1it1 \le i \le t and every x>N0x > N_0.
Then, let's assume that
P(N0+1)<<P(kN0). P(N_0 + 1) < \dots < P(kN_0).
We know every one of them is in the form of Pi(y)P_i(y). Where 1it1 \le i \le t and yy is a natural number.
If we have P(N0+i)=Pj(xi)P(N_0 + i) = P_j(x_i) for some jj, then we have xiN0x_i \le N_0. So, we at most have N0N_0 numbers in form of Pj(y)P_j(y) between P(N0+1),,P(kN0)P(N_0 + 1), \dots, P(kN_0). Therefore, we at most have tN0tN_0 numbers between them. And since k>tk > t, it gives us a contradiction.
So we must have an index ii such that the equation P(x)=Pi(y)P(x) = P_i(y) has infinitely many solutions and degPi(x)=degP(x)\deg P_i(x) = \deg P(x). We want to prove that if P(x)=Pi(y)P(x) = P_i(y), then xy|x - y| has a fixed upper bound.
Without loss of generality, assume that the leading coefficient of P(x)Pi(x)P(x) - P_i(x) is positive. Then, assume a sufficiently large N1N_1 such that P(x),Pi(x)P(x), P_i(x) and P(x)Pi(x)P(x) - P_i(x) are increasing for all real numbers x>N1x > N_1. Then, if x,y>N1x, y > N_1, P(x)=Pi(y)P(x) = P_i(y), we have xyx \ge y since P(x)Pi(x)Pi(y)P(x) \ge P_i(x) \ge P_i(y). If we take a sufficiently large xx we can find out that yy becomes large as well. Then if

P(x)=xd+ad1xd1++a0d2, P(x) = x^d + a_{d-1}x^{d-1} + \cdots + a_0 \quad d \ge 2,
Pi(x)=xd+bd1xd1++b0, P_i(x) = x^d + b_{d-1}x^{d-1} + \cdots + b_0,
then,
xdyd=bd1yd1++b0(ad1xd1++a0)    xdydci=1d1xi+yicd(xd1yd1)    xdydxd1+yd1=xdydxd1+yd1cd. \begin{align*} x^d - y^d &= b_{d-1}y^{d-1} + \cdots + b_0 - (a_{d-1}x^{d-1} + \cdots + a_0) \\ \implies |x^d - y^d| &\le c \sum_{i=1}^{d-1} |x|^i + |y|^i \le cd (x^{d-1} - y^{d-1}) \\ \implies \frac{|x^d - y^d|}{x^{d-1} + y^{d-1}} &= \frac{x^d - y^d}{x^{d-1} + y^{d-1}} \le cd. \end{align*}
And we have
xyxdydxd1+yd1cd. x - y \le \frac{x^d - y^d}{x^{d-1} + y^{d-1}} \le cd.
So, xycdx - y \le cd. Therefore, there exists a number kk such that xy=kx - y = k for infinitely many times.
Then we get P(x)=Pi(xk)P(x) = P_i(x - k) for infinitely many xx and we're done.
The case that degP(x)=1\deg P(x) = 1 is trivial and if P(x)Pi(x)=cP(x) - P_i(x) = c, then we'll have P(x)=Pi(y)P(x) = P_i(y) and Pi(y)Pi(x)=cP_i(y) - P_i(x) = c. Consider sufficiently large x,yx, y such that Pi(x)P_i(x) is increasing. If xyx \ne y,
Pi(y)Pi(x+1)    Pi(x+1)Pi(x)c P_i(y) \ge P_i(x+1) \implies P_i(x+1) - P_i(x) \le c
for infinitely many xx. So, Pi(x)P_i(x) should be linear and we're done. ■

Looking for a route rather than an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

Source: MathNet, licensed CC-BY-4.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.