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Algebra Difficulty 5.2 AIME, harder Find the answer

Suppose P(x)P(x) is a polynomial such that P(1)=1P(1)=1 and P(2x)P(x+1)=856x+7\frac{P(2 x)}{P(x+1)}=8-\frac{56}{x+7} for all real xx for which both sides are defined. Find P(1)P(-1).

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Solution

Cross-multiplying gives (x+7)P(2x)=8xP(x+1)(x+7) P(2 x)=8 x P(x+1). If PP has degree nn and leading coefficient cc, then the leading coefficients of the two sides are 2nc2^{n} c and 8c8 c, so n=3n=3. Now x=0x=0 is a root of the right-hand side, so it's a root of the left-hand side, so that P(x)=xQ(x)P(x)=x Q(x) for some polynomial Q2x(x+7)Q(2x)=8x(x+1)Q(x+1)Q \Rightarrow 2 x(x+7) Q(2 x)=8 x(x+1) Q(x+1) or (x+7)Q(2x)=4(x+1)Q(x+1)(x+7) Q(2 x)=4(x+1) Q(x+1). Similarly, we see that x=1x=-1 is a root of the left-hand side, giving Q(x)=(x+2)R(x)Q(x)=(x+2) R(x) for some polynomial R2(x+1)(x+7)R(2x)=4(x+1)(x+3)R(x+1)R \Rightarrow 2(x+1)(x+7) R(2 x)=4(x+1)(x+3) R(x+1), or (x+7)R(2x)=2(x+3)R(x+1)(x+7) R(2 x)=2(x+3) R(x+1). Now x=3x=-3 is a root of the left-hand side, so R(x)=(x+6)S(x)R(x)=(x+6) S(x) for some polynomial SS. At this point, P(x)=x(x+2)(x+6)S(x)P(x)=x(x+2)(x+6) S(x), but PP has degree 3, so SS must be a constant. Since P(1)=1P(1)=1, we get S=1/21S=1 / 21, and then P(1)=(1)(1)(5)/21=5/21P(-1)=(-1)(1)(5) / 21=-5 / 21.

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