Mathematics PRMO: Roots and Coefficients

1 (For Class 11 and Class 12 ) Find the value of ‘x’ and DAB. Let a ≤ b ≤ c be real numbers such that
1 4
a + b + c = 2 and ab + bc + ca = 1. Prove that 0  a   b  1  c 
3 3
Sol:
Let f(X) = X3 + mX2 + nX + p be the monic polynomial with roots a,b,c Viete relations yield
m = - 2 and n = 1, hence f(X) = X3 - 2X2 - X + p. The derivative of f is f’(X) = 3X2 - 4X + 1,
with roots 1/3 and 1. Using the sign f’, we deduce that f increases on the interval (–∞, ⅓] from ∞ to
f(⅓] = p + 4/27, and then decreases on the interval [1/3,1] from p + 4/27 to f(1) = p. Finally f
increases again on the interval [1,+∞) from p to + ∞. It follows that f has three real roots if and only if
p + 4/27 ≥ 0 and p ≤0.Observe that f(0) = p and f(4/3) = p+4/27,and hence f changes its sign on each
of the intervals [0,⅓], [⅓,1] and [1, 4/3]. We deduce that each of these intervals contains a root of f.
The claim follows.

2 Let a,b,c be rational numbers and let x1, x2, x3 be the roots of the polynomial
P(X) = X3 + aX2 + bX + c. Prove that if x1/x2 is a rational number, different from 0 and -1, then x1, x2,
x3 are rational numbers.

Sol:
Let x1/x2 = m ∈ Q, m ≠ Q, m ≠ 0, –1, We have x1 + x2 + x3 = –a. We claim that if one of the roots is a
rational number, then so are all three of them. Indeed, if x1 ∈ Q , then x2 = x1/m ∈ Q and x3 = –a – x1 –
−a − x3
x2 ∈ Q. If x2 ∈ Q then x1 = mx2 ∈ Q and x3 ∈ Q. If x3 ∈ Q, then x2 =  Q and x1 = mx2 . It
1+ m
suffices now to prove that P has a rational root. Substituting x1 = mx2 and x3 = - a - mx2 - x2 in the
equality x1x2 + x1x3 + x2x3 = b yields

and consequently, x2 is a root of second-degree polynomial f with rational coefficients. Since P and f
share a common root, their greatest common divisor is a nonconstant polynomial with rational
coefficients. It follows that P can be decomposed into factors with rational coefficients; since one of
the factors must be of degree one, it has at least one rational root.

3 Solve in real numbers the system of equations:

a+b=8
ab + c + d = 23
ad + bc =28
cd =12
Sol:
The expressions on the left hand side remind us of the coefficients obtained when two polynomials are
multiplied. Indeed observe that
We obtain the polynomial P(x) = x4 + 8x3 + 23x2 + 28x + 12, which, fortunately, has integer roots. We
can find them by checking the divisor of 12. We obtain P(x) = (x + 1) (x + 2)2 (x+3) The polynomial
factors in two ways as a product of quadratic polynomials P(x) = (x2 + 4x + 3) (x2 + 4x + 4) and
P(x) = (x2 + 3x + 2) (x2 + 5x + 6). Hence the solutions of the system are (4, 4, 3, 4), (4, 4, 4, 3),
(3, 5, 2, 6), (5, 3, 6, 2).

4 If 𝛂 and β are the roots of the equation 2x(2x + 1) = 1, then β is equal to

Option
(a) 2⍺(⍺ – 1) (b) 2⍺(⍺ + 1) (c) 2⍺2 (d) –2⍺(⍺ + 1)

Sol: (d)