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Algebra Difficulty 6.2 National olympiad Prove it Greece

The polynomials P(x)P(x), Q(x)Q(x) with real coefficients are non-constant, monic and satisfy the equality:

2P(x)=Q((x+1)22)Q((x1)22),xR,P(1)=1, 2P(x) = Q\left(\frac{(x+1)^2}{2}\right) - Q\left(\frac{(x-1)^2}{2}\right), \quad x \in \mathbb{R}, \quad P(1)=1,

Determine the polynomials P(x)P(x) and Q(x)Q(x).

Solution

Let Q(x)=xn+an1xn1++a0Q(x) = x^n + a_{n-1}x^{n-1} + \dots + a_0. Then the coefficient of the term of maximal degree of the polynomial Q((x+1)22)Q((x1)22)Q\left(\frac{(x+1)^2}{2}\right) - Q\left(\frac{(x-1)^2}{2}\right) can be found from the difference ((x+1)22)n((x1)22)n\left(\frac{(x+1)^2}{2}\right)^n - \left(\frac{(x-1)^2}{2}\right)^n. It is
2nx2n12n+2nx2n22n=4n2nx2n1(1). \frac{2n x^{2n-1}}{2^n} + \frac{2n x^{2n-2}}{2^n} = \frac{4n}{2^n} x^{2n-1} \quad (1).
The corresponding coefficient in the left hand side is equal to 22, and so 4n2n=22n+1=4n\frac{4n}{2^n} = 2 \Leftrightarrow 2^{n+1} = 4n. Since 2n+1>4n2^{n+1} > 4n, for n3n \ge 3, we must have n=1n=1 or n=2n=2 and then from (1) the degree of PP is 21=12-1=1 or 221=32 \cdot 2-1=3.

For x=0x=0 in the given relation, we obtain 2P(0)=Q(1/2)Q(1/2)=02P(0) = Q(1/2) - Q(1/2) = 0, and hence P(0)=0P(0) = 0.

* For n=1n=1, then P(x)=axP(x) = a x and since P(1)=1P(1) = 1, we find
P(x)=x and Q(x)=x+a0,a0R. P(x) = x \text{ and } Q(x) = x + a_0, \quad a_0 \in \mathbb{R}.

* For n=2n=2, then, if Q(x)=x2+bx+cQ(x) = x^2 + b x + c, we have:
2P(x)=Q((x+1)22)Q((x1)22)=14((x+1)4(x1)4)+b2((x+1)2(x1)2)=14(8x3+8x)+b2(4x)=2x3+2(1+b)x. \begin{align*} 2P(x) &= Q\left(\frac{(x+1)^2}{2}\right) - Q\left(\frac{(x-1)^2}{2}\right) \\ &= \frac{1}{4}((x+1)^4 - (x-1)^4) + \frac{b}{2}((x+1)^2 - (x-1)^2) \\ &= \frac{1}{4}(8x^3 + 8x) + \frac{b}{2}(4x) \\ &= 2x^3 + 2(1+b)x. \end{align*}
Hence P(x)=x3+(1+b)xP(x) = x^3 + (1+b)x. Since P(1)=1P(1) = 1, we find b=1b = -1, and finally
P(x)=x3 and Q(x)=x2x+c,cR. P(x) = x^3 \text{ and } Q(x) = x^2 - x + c, \quad c \in \mathbb{R}.

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