To determine whether there exist positive reals a0,a1,…,a19 such that the polynomial P(x)=x20+a19x19+…+a1x+a0 does not have any real roots, yet all polynomials formed from swapping any two coefficients ai,aj have at least one real root, we proceed as follows:
Consider the polynomial Pσ(x)=x20+aσ(19)x19+aσ(18)x18+⋯+aσ(0), for all permutations σ of the numbers 0 to 19.
We construct the coefficients ai in a specific manner. Let ai=10000+iϵ for i=0,1,…,19 and some small ϵ>0. This ensures that a0<a1<⋯<a19.
When t=0, we substitute x=−100. Since 20∣a19⋅10019∣>∣10020∣,∣a18⋅10018∣,∣a17⋅10017∣,…,∣a0∣, we have P(−100)<0.
As t→∞, a18→∞. When a18>−minx<0(x2+a19x+xa17+⋯+x18a0), P(x)≥0 for all x<0. This minimum exists because as x→0, x18a0 dominates and the sum tends to positive infinity, so it is positive for some x>x0. Meanwhile, as x→−∞, x2 dominates, and the sum is positive for some x<x1. The middle interval is closed and bounded, so it achieves its minimum which is finite.
Meanwhile, P(x)>0 for all x≥0.
Fix t as the minimum value such that P(x)≥0 for all x. By continuity, there is a root y of P(x), which is clearly negative. If −1≤y<0, then a19y19+a18y18>a18(y18+y19)≥0. Grouping the rest similarly in pairs, and using y20>0, P(y)>0, a contradiction.
Hence y<−1, and y19<y17<⋯<y1<y0<y2<⋯<y18. Since a19<a17<⋯<a1<a0<a2<⋯<a18, by the rearrangement inequality, 0=P(y)>Pσ(y) for σ=Id.
Adding a small δ to t, P(x)>0 for all x, while Pσ(x) (σ=Id) takes both positive and negative values. Therefore, such positive reals a0,a1,…,a19 do exist.
The answer is: \boxed{\text{Yes}}.