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Algebra Difficulty 6.7 National olympiad Find the answer

If P(x) P(x) denotes a polynomial of degree n n such that P(k)\equalkk\plus1 P(k)\equal{}\frac{k}{k\plus{}1} for k\equal0,1,2,,n k\equal{}0,1,2,\ldots,n, determine P(n\plus1) P(n\plus{}1).

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

Solution

To solve this problem, we need to determine the value of P(n+1) P(n+1) for the given polynomial P(x) P(x) of degree n n such that

P(k)=kk+1for k=0,1,2,,n. P(k) = \frac{k}{k+1} \quad \text{for } k = 0, 1, 2, \ldots, n.

Our goal is to express P(x) P(x) as:

P(x)=xx(x1)(xn)n+1. P(x) = x - \frac{x(x-1)\cdots(x-n)}{n+1}.

This assumes P(x) P(x) behaves such that P(k)=kk+1 P(k) = \frac{k}{k+1} holds for each k k .

### Step-by-step Process:

1. Define a new polynomial:

Q(x)=(x+1)P(x)x Q(x) = (x+1)P(x) - x

This transformation ensures that:

Q(k)=(k+1)P(k)k=(k+1)kk+1k=0 Q(k) = (k+1)P(k) - k = (k+1)\frac{k}{k+1} - k = 0

for k=0,1,2,,n k = 0, 1, 2, \ldots, n .

2. Thus, Q(x) Q(x) is a polynomial of degree n+1 n+1 with roots 0,1,2,,n 0, 1, 2, \ldots, n . Therefore,

Q(x)=c(x)(x1)(x2)(xn) Q(x) = c(x)(x-1)(x-2)\cdots(x-n)

where c c is a constant coefficient.

3. Consider the leading term of both sides. Since P(x) P(x) is a polynomial of degree n n , the polynomial:

(x+1)P(x)=xn+1+lower degree terms (x+1)P(x) = x^{n+1} + \text{lower degree terms}

has a leading term equal to xn+1 x^{n+1} . The polynomial x x contributes another x x term leading to:

Q(x)=x(x1)(x2)(xn) Q(x) = x(x-1)(x-2)\cdots(x-n)

4. Evaluate Q(x) Q(x) at x=n+1 x = n+1 . This determines that:

Q(n+1)=c(n+1)n(n1)1=(1)n+1c(n+1)! Q(n+1) = c(n+1) \cdot n(n-1)\cdots 1 = (-1)^{n+1}c(n+1)!

5. Since Q(x)=x(x1)(xn) Q(x) = x(x-1)\cdots(x-n) , c=1 c = 1 .

6. Finally, evaluate P(n+1) P(n+1) :

Q(n+1)=(n+2)P(n+1)(n+1) Q(n+1) = (n+2)P(n+1) - (n+1)

Since Q(n+1)=(1)n+1c(n+1)! Q(n+1) = (-1)^{n+1}c(n+1)! ,

(n+2)P(n+1)(n+1)=(1)n+1c(n+1)! (n+2)P(n+1) - (n+1) = (-1)^{n+1}c(n+1)!

Solving for P(n+1) P(n+1) , we get:

(n+2)P(n+1)=(1)n+1+(n+1) (n+2)P(n+1) = (-1)^{n+1} + (n+1)

P(n+1)=(1)n+1+(n+1)n+2 P(n+1) = \frac{(-1)^{n+1} + (n+1)}{n+2}

Hence, the value P(n+1) P(n+1) is:

(1)n+1+(n+1)n+2 \boxed{\frac{(-1)^{n+1} + (n+1)}{n+2}}

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