Maths Olympiad Prep

Library / /43 of 97

Algebra Difficulty 7.9 National olympiad, round 2 Find the answer

Given distinct prime numbers pp and qq and a natural number n3n \geq 3, find all aZa \in \mathbb{Z} such that the polynomial f(x)=xn+axn1+pqf(x) = x^n + ax^{n-1} + pq can be factored into 2 integral polynomials of degree at least 1.

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

Solution

Given distinct prime numbers p p and q q and a natural number n3 n \geq 3 , we aim to find all aZ a \in \mathbb{Z} such that the polynomial f(x)=xn+axn1+pq f(x) = x^n + ax^{n-1} + pq can be factored into two integral polynomials of degree at least 1.

To solve this, we use the following reasoning:

1. Lemma (Eisenstein's Criterion Extension): If a polynomial A(x)=anxn+an1xn1++a1x+a0 A(x) = a_n x^n + a_{n-1} x^{n-1} + \cdots + a_1 x + a_0 with integer coefficients is reducible in Z[x] \mathbb{Z}[x] , and a prime p p divides a0,a1,,an2 a_0, a_1, \ldots, a_{n-2} but does not divide an a_n , and p2 p^2 does not divide a0 a_0 , then p p does not divide an1 a_{n-1} , and the polynomial A(x) A(x) must have a rational root.

2. Applying this lemma to f(x)=xn+axn1+pq f(x) = x^n + ax^{n-1} + pq with p p as a prime, if f(x) f(x) is reducible, it must have a rational root. Since f(x) f(x) is monic with integer coefficients, this rational root must be an integer.

3. Let r r be an integer root of f(x) f(x) . Then:
rn+arn1+pq=0    pq=rnarn1. r^n + ar^{n-1} + pq = 0 \implies pq = -r^n - ar^{n-1}.
Since pq pq is squarefree, r r must be ±1 \pm 1 .

4. If r=1 r = 1 :
1n+a1n1+pq=0    1+a+pq=0    a=1pq. 1^n + a \cdot 1^{n-1} + pq = 0 \implies 1 + a + pq = 0 \implies a = -1 - pq.

5. If r=1 r = -1 :
(1)n+a(1)n1+pq=0    (1)n+(1)n1a+pq=0. (-1)^n + a \cdot (-1)^{n-1} + pq = 0 \implies (-1)^n + (-1)^{n-1} a + pq = 0.
- If n n is odd:
1a+pq=0    a=1+pq. -1 - a + pq = 0 \implies a = 1 + pq.
- If n n is even:
1+a+pq=0    a=1pq. 1 + a + pq = 0 \implies a = -1 - pq.

Thus, the values of a a that allow the polynomial f(x)=xn+axn1+pq f(x) = x^n + ax^{n-1} + pq to be factored into two integral polynomials of degree at least 1 are:
a=1pqanda=1+pq(if n is odd). a = -1 - pq \quad \text{and} \quad a = 1 + pq \quad \text{(if \( n \) is odd)}.

The answer is: 1pq and 1+pq\boxed{-1 - pq \text{ and } 1 + pq}.

Want a route through all this instead of an archive? The track puts 2,000 problems in a working order, from AMC 10 level to the IMO shortlist.

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