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Algebra Difficulty 7.0 National olympiad, round 2 Find the answer

Find all the polynomials P(x)P(x) of a degree n\leq n with real non-negative coefficients such that P(x)P(1x)[P(1)]2P(x) \cdot P(\frac{1}{x}) \leq [P(1)]^2 , x>0 \forall x>0.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

1. **Assume the polynomial P(x) P(x) has degree n n and can be written as:**
P(x)=anxn+an1xn1++a1x+a0 P(x) = a_n x^n + a_{n-1} x^{n-1} + \cdots + a_1 x + a_0
where ai0 a_i \geq 0 for all i i .

2. **Consider the product P(x)P(1x) P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) :**
P(1x)=an(1x)n+an1(1x)n1++a1(1x)+a0 P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = a_n \left(\frac{1}{x}\right)^n + a_{n-1} \left(\frac{1}{x}\right)^{n-1} + \cdots + a_1 \left(\frac{1}{x}\right) + a_0
P(1x)=anxn+an1x(n1)++a1x1+a0 P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = a_n x^{-n} + a_{n-1} x^{-(n-1)} + \cdots + a_1 x^{-1} + a_0

3. **Multiply P(x) P(x) and P(1x) P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) :**
P(x)P(1x)=(anxn+an1xn1++a1x+a0)(anxn+an1x(n1)++a1x1+a0) P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = \left(a_n x^n + a_{n-1} x^{n-1} + \cdots + a_1 x + a_0\right) \left(a_n x^{-n} + a_{n-1} x^{-(n-1)} + \cdots + a_1 x^{-1} + a_0\right)

4. **Analyze the leading term as x x \to \infty :**
- The leading term of P(x) P(x) is anxn a_n x^n .
- The leading term of P(1x) P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) is anxn a_n x^{-n} .
- Therefore, the leading term of P(x)P(1x) P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) is an2 a_n^2 .

5. **Consider the behavior of P(x)P(1x) P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) as x x \to \infty :**
- If a00 a_0 \neq 0 , then P(x)P(1x) P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) will have terms that grow without bound as x x \to \infty .
- Specifically, the term a0a0 a_0 \cdot a_0 will dominate, leading to P(x)P(1x) P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) \to \infty .

6. **To satisfy P(x)P(1x)[P(1)]2 P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) \leq [P(1)]^2 for all x>0 x > 0 , the polynomial must be of the form:**
P(x)=anxn P(x) = a_n x^n
where an a_n is a non-negative real number.

7. Verify that this form satisfies the given inequality:
P(x)=anxn    P(1x)=anxn P(x) = a_n x^n \implies P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = a_n x^{-n}
P(x)P(1x)=(anxn)(anxn)=an2 P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = (a_n x^n) \cdot (a_n x^{-n}) = a_n^2
[P(1)]2=(an1n)2=an2 [P(1)]^2 = (a_n \cdot 1^n)^2 = a_n^2
P(x)P(1x)=an2=[P(1)]2 \therefore P(x) \cdot P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) = a_n^2 = [P(1)]^2

Thus, the only polynomials that satisfy the given condition are of the form P(x)=anxn P(x) = a_n x^n where an0 a_n \geq 0 .

The final answer is P(x)=anxn \boxed{ P(x) = a_n x^n } where an0 a_n \geq 0 .

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.