f ( x ) and g ( x ) are monic quadratic polynomials that satisfy the following conditions:
What is the value of f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) ?
Details and assumptions
A polynomial is monic if its leading coefficient is 1. For example, the polynomial x 3 + 3 x − 5 is monic but the polynomial − x 4 + 2 x 3 − 6 is not.
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Nicely done!
Since f and g are monic quadratic, we have f ( x ) = ( x − a 1 ) ( x − a 2 ) and g ( x ) = ( x − b 1 ) ( x − b 2 ) from [1] and [2]. From [3] we know that f ( x ) − g ( x ) is a linear polynomial which maps { b 1 , b 2 } to { b 1 , b 2 } : either f ( x ) − g ( x ) = x or f ( x ) − g ( x ) = b 1 + b 2 − x . Likewise [4] tells us g ( x ) − f ( x ) = x or g ( x ) − f ( x ) = a 1 + a 2 − x . Comparing the last two facts and switching f , g and a i , b i if necessary, we have WLOG that f ( x ) − g ( x ) = x and a 1 + a 2 = 0 . Thus f ( x ) = x 2 − a 1 2 and g ( x ) = x 2 − x − a 1 2 . By [5], ( 1 − a 1 2 ) ( − a 1 2 ) = a 1 4 − a 1 2 = 1 3 2 , so a 1 2 − 1 2 ) ( a 1 2 + 1 1 ) = 0 . Since a 1 is real, a 1 2 = 1 2 , giving f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) = ( − 8 ) ( − 1 0 ) = 8 0 .
Nicely done!
Hi; Was anyone able to compute what the two quadratics are?
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Hi;
Sorry, but I am not viewing the latex well could you post the quadratics in plain text?
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@Bobbym None – Okay, I wrote x^2-x-12 and x^2-12
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@Gopinath No – Hi;
Those 2 quadratics do not satisfy condition 3 and 4.
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@Bobbym None – Of course they do. Could you please explain your thinking? It seems like you're being serially evasive about what problem you're actually having.
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@Erick Wong – Sorry, just being cautious.
We have f(x) = x^2 -x -12 and g(x) = x^2 - 12
So
a 1 = − 3 a 2 = 4
and
b 1 = − 2 3 b 2 = 2 3
f ( b 1 ) = 2 3
Does that not violate the third condition that f(b1) = b1?
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@Bobbym None – Thanks for clarifying! We can finally see that you're confused about set notation. Note that {1,2} = {2,1}, even though 1 = 2 .
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@Erick Wong – Hi Erick W. ;
Yes, I overlooked that. Thanks for clarifying.
@Bobbym None – Hi,
I got the quadratics from the conditions there, did you get anything else?
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Since f ( x ) is a monic quadratic polynomial whose roots are a 1 and a 2 , f ( x ) = ( x − a 1 ) ( x − a 2 ) . Similarly, g ( x ) = ( x − b 1 ) ( x − b 2 ) .
Since { f ( b 1 ) , f ( b 2 ) } = { b 1 , b 2 } , either f ( b 1 ) = b 1 and f ( b 2 ) = b 2 , or f ( b 1 ) = b 2 and f ( b 2 ) = b 1 .
Case 1 : f ( b 1 ) = b 1 and f ( b 2 ) = b 2 .
In this case, we see that f ( x ) − x is a monic quadratic whose roots are b 1 and b 2 , so it coincides with g ( x ) . Then g ( a 1 ) = f ( a 1 ) − a 1 = − a 1 , and g ( a 2 ) = f ( a 2 ) − a 2 = − a 2 . But { g ( a 1 ) , g ( a 2 ) } = { a 1 , a 2 } , so we must have a 2 = − a 1 . Then f ( x ) = ( x − a 1 ) ( x + a 1 ) = x 2 − a 1 2 , and g ( x ) = f ( x ) − x = x 2 − x − a 1 2 .
From the equation f ( 1 ) g ( 1 ) = 1 3 2 , we get ( 1 − a 1 2 ) ( − a 1 2 ) = 1 3 2 , which gives us ( a 1 2 − 1 2 ) ( a 1 2 + 1 1 ) = 0 . Since a 1 is real, we must have a 1 2 = 1 2 . Then f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) = ( 4 − a 1 2 ) ( 2 − a 1 2 ) = ( 4 − 1 2 ) ( 2 − 1 2 ) = 8 0 .
Case 2 : f ( b 1 ) = b 2 and f ( b 2 ) = b 1 .
In this case, we see that f ( x ) + x − b 1 − b 2 is a monic quadratic whose roots are b 1 and b 2 , so it coincides with g ( x ) . Then g ( a 1 ) = f ( a 1 ) + a 1 − b 1 − b 2 = a 1 − b 1 − b 2 , and g ( a 2 ) = f ( a 2 ) + a 2 − b 1 − b 2 = a 2 − b 1 − b 2 . But { g ( a 1 ) , g ( a 2 ) } = { a 1 , a 2 } , so g ( a 1 ) + g ( a 2 ) = a 1 + a 2 , which gives us a 1 + a 2 − 2 b 1 − 2 b 2 = a 1 + a 2 , or b 1 + b 2 = 0 . Hence, f ( x ) + x = g ( x ) for all x , and we can then proceed as in Case 1, with the roles of f and g reversed.
Therefore, in either case, f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) = 8 0 .