Are there such natural $n$, that exist polynomial of degree $n$ and with $n$ different real roots, and a) $P(x)P(x+1)=P(x^2)$ b) $P(x)P(x+1)=P(x^2+1)$
Problem
Source: Moscow Olympiad 2018, Grade 11, P3
Tags: algebra, polynomial
07.04.2018 18:33
RagvaloD wrote: Are there such natural $n$, that exist polynomial of degree $n$ and with $n$different real roots, and a) $P(x)P(x+1)=P(x^2)$ b) $P(x)P(x+1)=P(x^2+1)$ a ) $ P(x) = x^m(x-1)^m$
07.04.2018 18:36
All roots should be different
08.04.2018 01:30
a) If $r$ is a root of $P$, then $r^2$ and $(r-1)^2$ are also roots. From this it is easy to see that the only possible roots are $0$ and $1$. Then we get $x(x-1)$ as the only (non-constant) solution. b) If $r$ is a root of $P$, then $r^2+1$ is a root as well. Since for all real $r_0=r$, the sequence defined by $r_{n+1}=r_n^2+1$ tends to infinity, $P$ cannot have any roots if it is nonzero. Thus there are only the obvious constant solutions.
14.10.2024 03:29
For part 2, if we disregard the restriction of having only real roots and distinct roots, using similar arguments on roots of unity, we get $x^2-x+1$ and its powers.