A Problem Set on Polynomials

Aditya Ghosh

1. Solve the equation: 6x4 − 25x3 + 12x2 + 25x + 6 = 0.

2. Let a, b, c ∈ R. Prove that this equation (x − a)(x − b) + (x − b)(x − c) + (x − c)(x − a) = 0

has real roots and the roots are equal if and only if a = b = c.

3. Prove that ax2 + bx + c = 0 does not have any rational root if a, b, c are all odd integers.

4. If x = 2 is a root of the equation mx3 − 12x2 + 10x − m = 0 then find the other roots.

5. Suppose k is a real number such that the equations x2 − 4x + k = 0 and x2 + kx − 4 = 0 have

exactly one common root. Find the value of k.

6. Let f (x) = x3 − 3x + b and g(x) = x2 + bx − 3, where b ∈ R. What is the sum of all possible
values of b such that f (x) = 0 and g(x) = 0 have a common root?

7. Suppose 1, 2, 3 are roots of x4 + ax2 + bx = c. Find value of c.

8. If a 6= b, c 6= 0 and if the equations x2 + ax + bc = 0 and x2 + bx + ca = 0 have a common

root, then their other roots satisfy x2 + cx + ab = 0.

9. Suppose k, l, p, q ∈ N such that if a, b are roots of x2 − kx + l = 0 then a + 1/b and b + 1/a are
roots of x2 − px + q = 0. Find sum of all possible values of q.

10. Suppose P (x) is a polynomial with P (2) = 2017 and P (5) = 2002. If it is given that P (x) = 0
has exactly one integer root, find that root.

11. Suppose that the roots of x2 + αx − a = 0 are β, γ, and the roots of x2 + βx − b = 0 are γ, α.
If 2(a + b + c) = α2 + β 2 + γ 2 , then show that the roots of x2 + γx − c = 0 are α, β.

12. Suppose a, b are integers and b 6= −1. Show that if x2 + ax + b + 1 = 0 has an integer root
then a2 + b2 must be composite.

13. Let f (x) be a quadratic polynomial. Prove that there exists quadratic polynomials g(x), h(x)
such that f (x)f (x + 1) = g(h(x)).

14. Solve the equation for real x: (x2 + x − 2)3 + (2x2 − x − 1)3 = 27(x2 − 1)3 .

15. The roots of the equation x3 −3ax2 +bx+18c = 0 form a non-constant arithmetic progression
and the roots of the equation x3 +bx2 +x−c3 = 0 form a non-constant geometric progression.
Given that a, b ∈ N and c ∈ R, find all possible values of a, b.

16. Let P (x) = x2 + 21 x + b and Q(x) = x2 + cx + d be two polynomials with real coefficients,
such that, P (x)Q(x) = Q(P (x)) for all real x. Find all real roots of P (Q(x)) = 0.

17. Suppose m, n are integers such that x2 + mx − n = 0 and x2 − mx + n = 0 both have integer
roots. Then show that n is divisible by 6.

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18. Suppose a ≤ b ≤ c and a + b + c = 9, ab + bc + ca = 26 and abc = 24. Find the value of
100a + 10b + c.

19. Show that for all real numbers x, y, z satisfying x + y + z = 0 and xy + yz + zx = −3, the
value of the expression x3 y + y 3 z + z 3 x is a constant.

20. Suppose all roots of the equation x4 − 4x3 + ax2 + bx + 1 = 0 are positive real numbers. Find
the value of (a + b).

21. The polynomial x3 − ax2 + bx − 2010 has three positive integer zeros. What is the smallest
possible value of a?

22. Suppose that the polynomial f (x) = x3 − 3x2 + ax + 15 has three roots, two of which sum
to 8. What is the value of (−a)?

23. Let P (x) be a nonzero polynomial such that (x − 1)P (x + 1) = (x + 2)P (x) for every real x,
and P (2)2 = P (3). Find the leading coefficient of P (x).

24. Suppose f (x) = x4 + ax3 + bx2 + cx + d is a polynomial such that f (1) = 10, f (2) = 20, f (3) =
30. Find the value of (f (12) + f (−8))/640.

25. For certain real numbers a, b, and c, the polynomial g(x) = x3 +ax2 +x+10 has three distinct
roots, and each root of g(x) is also a root of the polynomial f (x) = x4 + x3 + bx2 + 100x + c.
Determine the value of c + 10a.

26. Let P (x) = ax3 + bx2 + cx + d where a, b, c, d ∈ Z such that ad is odd and bc is even. Prove
that exactly two zeros of the polynomial are irrational.

27. Suppose that n is a positive integer. Show that the equation x2 − 2014x + 19(n2 + 1) = 0 can
not have any rational root.

28. Let f (x) = x3 + ax2 + bx + c and g(x) = x3 + bx2 + cx + a where a, b, c ∈ Z, c 6= 0. Suppose

f (1) = 0 and roots of g(x) = 0 are squares of the roots of f (x) = 0. Find the value of
a2020 + b2020 + c2020 .

29. Let P (x) = x3 + ax2 + b and Q(x) = x3 + bx + a, where a, b, c are non-zero real numbers.
Suppose roots of P (x) = 0 are reciprocals of the roots of Q(x) = 0. Prove that a, b are integers
and then find the gcd of P (2020! + 1) and Q(2020! + 1).

30. Let a, b, c be the roots of the equation x3 − 3x2 + 2x − 1 = 0. Suppose that P (x) is a cubic
polynomial that satisfies P (a) = b + c, P (b) = c + a, and P (c) = a + b. If P (ab + bc + ca) = 11,
determine P (abc).
 a  3  b 3  c 3
31. If a, b, c are the roots of x3 +2x2 +3x+3 = 0, find the value of + + .
a+1 b+1 c+1
√ √
q q
3 3
32. Prove that 2 + 5 + 2 − 5 is an integer.

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33. Let a, b, c distinct integers. Can the polynomial (x − a)(x − b)(x − c) − 1 be factored into the
product of two non-constant polynomials with integer coefficients?

34. The product of two of the four roots of the equation x4 − 18x3 + kx2 + 200x − 1984 = 0 is
−32. Find k.

35. For real numbers a, b, c define sn = an + bn + cn . Suppose s1 = 2, s2 = 6 and s3 = 14. Prove

that |s2n − sn−1 sn+1 | = 8 holds for all n > 1.

36. Show that (1 + x + x2 + · · · + xn )2 − xn can be expressed the product of two polynomials.

37. Suppose a, b, c are non-zero real numbers satisfying (ab + bc + ca)3 = abc(a + b + c)3 . Prove
that a, b, c must be terms of a geometric progression.

38. Let P (x) = xn +an−1 xn−1 +· · ·+a1 x+a0 be a polynomial with integral coefficients. Suppose
that there exist four distinct integers a, b, c, d with P (a) = P (b) = P (c) = P (d) = 5. Prove
that there is no integer k with P (k) = 8.

39. A polynomial P (x) with degree n satisfies P (k) = k/(k +1) for k = 0, 1, . . . , n. Find P (n+1).

40. Find all polynomials P (x) that satisfies xP (x − 1) = (x − 7)P (x) for all x ∈ R.

41. Find all polynomials P (x) such that P (x + 1) = P (x) + 2x + 1 holds for all x ∈ R.

42. Let a, b, c ∈ C such that the roots of the equation ax2 + bx + c = 0 have same modulus. Prove
that a = 0 if and only if b = 0.

43. Given a + 1/a + a2 + 1/a2 + 1 = 0, find am + 1/am + a2m + 1/a2m . Here a ∈ C.

44. Suppose A(x), B(x), C(x) polynomials with complex coefficients satisfying A(x3 )+xB(x3 ) =
(1 + x + x2 )C(x) for all x ∈ C. Prove that, A(1) = 0.

45. Suppose that P (x), Q(x), R(x), S(x) are polynomials such that P (x5 ) + xQ(x5 ) + x2 R(x5 ) =
(x4 + x3 + x2 + x + 1)S(x) for all x ∈ C. Prove that x − 1 is a factor of P (x).
2019
X xi
46. If x1 , x2 , ...., x2019 are the zeros of P (x) = x2019 + 2019x − 1, find the value of .
xi − 1
i=1

47. Suppose that the polynomial 1 − x + x2 − x3 + · · · + x16 − x17 can be written as a0 + a1 y +

a2 y 2 + · · · + a17 y 17 , where y = x + 1. Determine the value of a2 .

48. Let a, b, c be roots of the polynomial P (x) = x3 − 4x2 + 4x + 5. Determine the value of
1 − a3 1 − b3 1 − c3
+ + .
b+c c+a a+b
49. Suppose a1 , a2 , . . . , an are all distinct integers. If n is odd, prove that the polynomial P (x) =
(x − a1 )(x − a2 ) . . . (x − an ) + 1 cannot be factored into the product of two non-constant
polynomials with integer coefficients. Does it hold when n is even?

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50. If a1 , a2 , . . . , an are distinct integers, show that P (x) = (x − a1 )2 (x − a2 )2 . . . (x − an )2 + 1 can
not be factored into the product of two non-constant polynomials with integer coefficients.

51. Find all values of a ∈ R such that x4 − 2ax2 + x + a2 − a = 0 has only real roots.

52. Let a ∈ R, a 6= 0. Find all real roots of the equation a3 x4 + 2a2 x2 + x + a + 1 = 0.

53. Find all real numbers a for which the equation x2 + (a − 2)x + 1 = 3|x| has exactly three
distinct real solutions in x.

54. Suppose that the roots of the equation x4 + ax3 + bx2 + ax + c = 0 are α1 , α2 , α3 , and α4 .
Show that, (α12 + 1)(α22 + 1)(α32 + 1)(α42 + 1) = (1 − b + c)2 .

55. Suppose f (x) is a polynomial such that f (xn ) is divisible by x−1. Show that f (xn ) is divisible
by xn − 1.

56. Let P (x) be a non-zero polynomial with real coefficients satisfying P (x2 ) = P (x)P (x − 1) for
all x ∈ C. Prove that, (i) if P (α) = 0 for some α ∈ C then α = 0 or |α| = 1. (ii) Is it possible
that P (0) = 0? (iii) Find all such polynomial P (x).

57. Find all non-constant polynomials P (x) with real coefficients which satisfy the equation
P (x)P (x + 1) = P (x2 ) for all x ∈ C.

58. Suppose polynomial P (x) satisfies P (x2 +1) = P (x)2 +1 and P (0) = 0. Prove that, P (x) = x.

59. Find the sum of the real roots of the equation 5x4 − 10x3 + 10x2 − 5x = 11.

60. Find number of real roots of ax7 − 4x4 + x2 + 1 = 0 where a > 2.

61. Let a, b, c, x, y, z be six positive real numbers satisfying x + y + z = a + b + c and xyz = abc.
Further, suppose that a ≤ x < y < z ≤ c and a < b < c. Prove that a = x, b = y and c = z.

62. Suppose that a, b, c, d, e, f are positive integers such that n = a + b + c + d + e + f divides

both abc + def and ab + bc + ca − de − ef − f d. Prove that n must be composite.

63. Prove that there does not exist a non-constant polynomial P (x) with integer coefficients such
that P (n) is prime number for each non-negative integer n.

64. Prove that there does not exist a non-constant polynomial P (x) with integer coefficients such
that P (n) is prime number for each positive integer n.

65. Show that any monic even degree polynomial with coefficients odd natural numbers cannot
have a rational root.

66. Suppose that p(x) is a cubic polynomial such that the graph of y = p(x) contains the points
A(2, 4), B(3, 9), and C(4, 16). The lines AB, BC and CA intersect the graph again at points
D, E, F respectively. If the sum of x-coordinates of D, E, F is 24, then find 5p(0).

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67. Let P (x) = a0 xn + · · · + an−1 x + an be a polynomial with integer coefficients. Suppose the
equation P (x) = 0 has n distinct integer roots which are pairwisely coprime. Then prove
that an−1 and an must be coprime.

68. Let α be a real root of the equation x5 − x3 + x − 2 = 0. Prove that, bα6 c = 3.

69. Let a, b, c ∈ R+ such that a + b + c = 1. Let λ = min{a3 + a2 bc, b3 + ab2 c, c3 + abc2 }. Prove
that the roots of the equation x2 + x + 4λ = 0 are real.

70. Show that there can not exist polynomial P (x) with integer coefficients such that for some
a, b, c ∈ Z, it holds that P (a) = b, P (b) = c, P (c) = a.

71. Let P1 (x) = ax2 − bx − c, P2 (x) = bx2 − cx − a, P3 (x) = cx2 − ax − b be three polynomials
where a, b, c are non-zero real numbers. Suppose there exists a real number α such that
P1 (α) = P2 (α) = P3 (α). Prove that, a = b = c.

72. If p(x) = a0 + a1 x + · · · + am xm is a polynomial with real coefficients, define S(p(x)) =

a20 + a21 + · · · + a2m . Let f (x) = 3x2 + 7x + 2. Find, with proof, a polynomial g(x) with real
coefficients such that g(0) = 1 and S(f (x)n ) = S(g(x)n ) holds for every integer n ≥ 1.

73. Alice and Bob play the following game. Alice thinks of a polynomial p(x) with non-negative
integer coefficients and Bob has to guess the polynomial. Bob has two shots: he can pick a
number a and ask Alice to return the value of p(a), and then Bob has another such try. Can
Bob always guess the polynomial?

74. Find quotient and remainder when xn is divided by x2 − x − 1.

75. Find all pairs of integers (a, b) such that the polynomial ax15 + bx14 + 1 is divisible by the
polynomial x2 − x − 1.

76. A Polynomial h(x) having integer coefficients is called ‘cute’ if it can be expressed as h(x) =
f (x)2 + g(x)2 where f, g are polynomials with integer coefficients. Suppose P (x) is a cute
polynomial with P (0) = 2020. Prove that P (x) + 2x can not be a cute polynomial.
a1 a2 a3 a4 1
77. Let a1 , a2 , a3 , a4 be real numbers satisfying 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 2 for
k +1 k +2 k +3 k +4 k
a1 a2 a3 a4
k = 1, 2, 3, 4. Find the value of + + + .
26 27 28 29
78. Let P (x) be a polynomial of degree n such that P (k) = 2k holds for each k = 0, 1, 2, · · · , n.
Determine P (n + 1).

79. Suppose F is a function defined on the set of real numbers such that F (x) > x for all x ≥ 0.
Find all polynomials P (x) such that P (0) = 0 and P (F (x)) = F (P (x)) holds for all x ∈ R.

80. Let P1 (x) = x2 − 2 and define Pj (x) = P1 (Pj−1 (x)) for j = 2, 3, · · · . Prove that for any
positive integer n, the 2n roots of the equation Pn (x) = x are all real and distinct.