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Mathematics Olympiad Coachs Seminar, Zhuhai, China

1

03/22/2004

Algebra

1. There exists a polynomialP of degree 5 with the following property: ifz is a complex number such

thatz5 + 2004z = 1, thenP (z2) = 0. Find all such polynomialsP .

2. LetN denote the set of positive integers. Find all functionsf :N→ N such that

f(m+ n)f(m− n) = f(m2)

for allm, n∈N.

Solution:

Functionf(n) = 1, for alln∈N, is the only function satisfying the conditions of

the problem.

Note that

f(1)f(2n−1) = f(n2) and f(3)f(2n−1) = f((n+ 1)2)

forn≥ 3. Thus

f(3)

f(1)=f((n+ 1)2)

f(n2).

Settingf(3)

f(1)=k yieldsf (n2) =kn−3f (9) forn≥ 3. Similarly, for allh≥ 1,

f(h+ 2)

f(h)=f((m+ 1)2)

f(m2)

for suﬃciently largem and is thus alsok. Hencef (2h) =kh−1f (2) andf (2h + 1) =khf (1).

But

f(25)

f(9)=f(25)

f(23)·····f(11)

f(9)=k8

and

f(25)

f(9)=f(25)

f(16)·f(16)

f(9)=k2,

sok = 1 andf (16) =f (9). This implies thatf (2h + 1) =f (1) =f (2) =f (2j) for allj, h, sof is

constant. From the original functional equation it is then clear thatf (n) = 1 for alln∈N.

3. Call a real-valued functionfvery convex if

f(x)+ f(y)

2

≥f



x+ y

2



+|x −y|

holds for all real numbersx andy. Prove that no very convex function exists.

First Solution:Fixn≥ 1. For each integeri, deﬁne

∆i =f



i+1

n



−f



i

n



.

2

Zuming Feng (zfeng@exeter.edu), Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter 03833, USA

The given inequality withx = (i + 2)/n andy =i/n implies

f



i+2

n



+f



i

n



2

≥f



i+1

n



+2

n,

from which,

f



i+2

n



−f



i+1

n



≥f



i+1

n



−f



i

n



+4

n,

that is, ∆i+1≥ ∆i +4/n. Combining this forn consecutive values ofi gives ∆i+n≥ ∆i +4. Summing

this inequality fori = 0 toi =n− 1 and cancelling terms yields

f(2)− f(1)≥ f(1)− f(0) + 4n.

This cannot hold for alln≥ 1. Hence there are no very convex functions.

Second Solution:We show by induction that the given inequality implies

f(x)+ f(y)

2

−f



x+ y

2



≥2n|x −y|

for all nonnegative integersn. This will yield a contradiction, because for ﬁxedx andy the right side

gets arbitrarily large, while the left side remains ﬁxed.

We are given the base casen = 0. Now if the inequality holds for a givenn, then fora, b real,

f(a)+ f(a+2b)

2

≥f(a+ b)+2n+1|b|,

f(a+ b)+ f(a+3b)≥ 2(f(a+2b)+2n+1|b|),

and

f(a+2b)+ f(a+4b)

2

≥f(a+3b)+2n+1|b|.

Adding these three inequalities and canceling terms yields

f(a)+ f(a+4b)

2

≥f(a+2b)+2n+3|b|.

Settingx =a, y =a + 4b, we obtain

f(x)+ f(y)

2

≥f



x+ y

2



+2n+1|x −y|,

and the induction is complete.

Third Solution:Rewrite the condition as

f(x)− f



x+ y

2



≥f



x+ y

2



−f(y)+2|x −y|.

Mathematics Olympiad Coachs Seminar, Zhuhai, China

3

For any positive integern,

f(1)− f(0) = f(1)− f(1/2) + f(1/2)− f(0)

≥f(1/2) −f(0) + 2 + f(1/2) −f(0)

= 2[f (1/2)−f (0)] + 2

= 2[f (1/2)−f (1/4) +f (1/4)−f (0)] + 2

≥2[f (1/4) −f(0) + 1 + f(1/4) −f(0)] + 2

= 4[f (1/4)−f (0)] + 4 =··· ≥ 2n[f (1/2n)−f (0)] + 2n.

Similarly,f (−1)−f (0)≥ 2n[f (−1/2n)−f (0)] + 2n. But

f(1/2n )+ f(−1/2n )≥ 2f(0) + 1/2n−2 >2f(0).

Thus, for eachn, at least one off (1/2n)−f (0) andf (−1/2n)−f (0) is greater than 0. It follows that at least one off (1)−f (0) andf (−1)−f (0) is greater than 2n for alln≥ 1, which is impossible. Hence there is no very convex functions.