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IMOmath - Introduction To Equations in Polynomials
IMOmath - Introduction To Equations in Polynomials
IMOmath - Introduction To Equations in Polynomials
Introduction to Equations in Polynomials
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Equations in polynomials (Table of contents)
Introduction to Equations in Polynomials
This article deals with determining polynomials in one or more variables (e.g. with real or
complex coefficients) which satisfy some given relation(s).
The following example illustrates some basic methods:
Example
Determine the polynomials P for which 16P (x2 ) = P (2x)
2
.
First method Evaluating at certain points and reducing degree.
satifying the same relation as P .
Second method: investigating coefficients.
We start by proving the following lemma (to be used frequently):
Lemma
2 2
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( ) ( ) ( )/ 1/2
7/16/2016 IMOmath: Introduction to Equations in Polynomials
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hence an−3 = 0 , and so on. Continuing in this manner we conclude that an−2k−1 = 0
for k = 0, 1, 2, …, i.e. P (x) = an xn + an−2 xn−2 + an−4 xn−4 + ⋯ .
Investigating zeroes of the unknown polynomial is also counted under the first method.
A majority of problems of this type can be solved by one of the above two methods (although
some cannot, making math more interesting!).
Equations in polynomials (Table of contents)
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