Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 8 / 24 of 180 #1724 of 1964

Problem 1724

IMO Shortlist mid-range; USAMO P2/P5
Algebra Difficulty 8.1 Find the answer china_team_selection_test

Find all real-coefficient polynomials f(x)f(x) which satisfy the following conditions:

i. $f(x) = a_0 x2nx^{2n} + a_2 x2nx^{2n} - 2} + +a2n\cdots + a_{2n} - 2}
x^2 + a2n,a_{2n}, a_0 > 0$;
ii. $j=0na2ja2n\$\sum_{j=0}^n a_{2j} a_{2n} - 2j} (\leq \left( \right.
2nn\begin{array}{c} 2n\\ n\end{array} )\left. \right) a_0 a2n$;a_{2n}\$;
iii. All the roots of f(x)f(x) are imaginary numbers with no real part.

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Official solution

We are tasked with finding all real-coefficient polynomials f(x) f(x) that satisfy the following conditions:

1. f(x)=a0x2n+a2x2n2++a2n2x2+a2n f(x) = a_0 x^{2n} + a_2 x^{2n - 2} + \cdots + a_{2n - 2} x^2 + a_{2n} , where a0>0 a_0 > 0 .
2. j=0na2ja2n2j(2nn)a0a2n \sum_{j=0}^n a_{2j} a_{2n - 2j} \leq \binom{2n}{n} a_0 a_{2n} .
3. All the roots of f(x) f(x) are imaginary numbers with no real part.

To solve this, we note that by condition (iii), the roots of f(x) f(x) are purely imaginary. Let the roots be ±α1i,±α2i,,±αni \pm \alpha_1 i, \pm \alpha_2 i, \ldots, \pm \alpha_n i , where αj>0 \alpha_j > 0 for all j j . This implies that f(x) f(x) can be factored as:
f(x)=a0(x2+α12)(x2+α22)(x2+αn2). f(x) = a_0 (x^2 + \alpha_1^2)(x^2 + \alpha_2^2) \cdots (x^2 + \alpha_n^2).

Using Vieta's formulas, we express the coefficients a2k a_{2k} in terms of the roots:
a2ka0=S=k,SZ(aSa)2, \frac{a_{2k}}{a_0} = \sum_{|S|=k, S \in Z'} \left( \prod_{a \in S} a \right)^2,
where Z={α1i,α2i,,αni} Z' = \{ \alpha_1 i, \alpha_2 i, \ldots, \alpha_n i \} .

Condition (ii) can be rewritten using these coefficients:
j=0na2ja2n2j(2nn)a0a2n. \sum_{j=0}^n a_{2j} a_{2n - 2j} \leq \binom{2n}{n} a_0 a_{2n}.

By applying the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality and the Vandermonde identity, we find that equality holds if and only if all αj \alpha_j are equal. Therefore, all αj \alpha_j must be the same, say α \alpha . Thus, the polynomial f(x) f(x) simplifies to:
f(x)=a0(x2+α2)n, f(x) = a_0 (x^2 + \alpha^2)^n,
where a0>0 a_0 > 0 and αR{0} \alpha \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \{0\} .

Hence, the polynomials that satisfy the given conditions are:
f(x)=a0(x2+α2)n, f(x) = a_0 (x^2 + \alpha^2)^n,
where a0>0 a_0 > 0 and αR{0} \alpha \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \{0\} .

The answer is: f(x)\boxed{f(x)} = a_0 (x^2 + α2)n\alpha^2)^n \text{} where } a_0 > 0 \text{} and } αR{0}.{\alpha \in \mathbb{R} \setminus \{0\}}.

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