Do the root shuffle

Algebra Level 5

f ( x ) f(x) and g ( x ) g(x) are monic quadratic polynomials that satisfy the following conditions:

  1. f ( x ) = 0 f(x) = 0 has real distinct roots a 1 a_1 and a 2 a_2 .
  2. g ( x ) = 0 g(x)= 0 has real distinct roots b 1 b_1 and b 2 b_2 .
  3. { f ( b 1 ) , f ( b 2 ) } = { b 1 , b 2 } \{ f(b_1), f( b_2) \} = \{ b_1, b_2 \} .
  4. { g ( a 1 ) , g ( a 2 ) } = { a 1 , a 2 } \{ g( a_1), g(a_2) \} = \{ a_1, a_2 \} .
  5. f ( 1 ) g ( 1 ) = 132 f(1)g(1) = 132 .

What is the value of f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) ? 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 x^3 + 3x - 5 is monic but the polynomial x 4 + 2 x 3 6 -x^4 + 2x^3 - 6 is not.


The answer is 80.

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2 solutions

Jon Haussmann
Sep 23, 2013

Since f ( x ) f(x) is a monic quadratic polynomial whose roots are a 1 a_1 and a 2 a_2 , f ( x ) = ( x a 1 ) ( x a 2 ) . f(x) = (x - a_1)(x - a_2). Similarly, g ( x ) = ( x b 1 ) ( x b 2 ) g(x) = (x - b_1)(x - b_2) .

Since { f ( b 1 ) , f ( b 2 ) } = { b 1 , b 2 } \{f(b_1), f(b_2)\} = \{b_1,b_2\} , either f ( b 1 ) = b 1 f(b_1) = b_1 and f ( b 2 ) = b 2 f(b_2) = b_2 , or f ( b 1 ) = b 2 f(b_1) = b_2 and f ( b 2 ) = b 1 f(b_2) = b_1 .

Case 1 : f ( b 1 ) = b 1 f(b_1) = b_1 and f ( b 2 ) = b 2 f(b_2) = b_2 .

In this case, we see that f ( x ) x f(x) - x is a monic quadratic whose roots are b 1 b_1 and b 2 b_2 , so it coincides with g ( x ) g(x) . Then g ( a 1 ) = f ( a 1 ) a 1 = a 1 g(a_1) = f(a_1) - a_1 = -a_1 , and g ( a 2 ) = f ( a 2 ) a 2 = a 2 g(a_2) = f(a_2) - a_2 = -a_2 . But { g ( a 1 ) , g ( a 2 ) } = { a 1 , a 2 } \{g(a_1), g(a_2)\} = \{a_1,a_2\} , so we must have a 2 = a 1 a_2 = -a_1 . Then f ( x ) = ( x a 1 ) ( x + a 1 ) = x 2 a 1 2 , 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 . g(x) = f(x) - x = x^2 - x - a_1^2.

From the equation f ( 1 ) g ( 1 ) = 132 f(1) g(1) = 132 , we get ( 1 a 1 2 ) ( a 1 2 ) = 132 (1 - a_1^2)(-a_1^2) = 132 , which gives us ( a 1 2 12 ) ( a 1 2 + 11 ) = 0. (a_1^2 - 12)(a_1^2 + 11) = 0. Since a 1 a_1 is real, we must have a 1 2 = 12 a_1^2 = 12 . Then f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) = ( 4 a 1 2 ) ( 2 a 1 2 ) = ( 4 12 ) ( 2 12 ) = 80. f(2) g(2) = (4 - a_1^2)(2 - a_1^2) = (4 - 12)(2 - 12) = 80.

Case 2 : f ( b 1 ) = b 2 f(b_1) = b_2 and f ( b 2 ) = b 1 f(b_2) = b_1 .

In this case, we see that f ( x ) + x b 1 b 2 f(x) + x - b_1 - b_2 is a monic quadratic whose roots are b 1 b_1 and b 2 b_2 , so it coincides with g ( x ) g(x) . Then g ( a 1 ) = f ( a 1 ) + a 1 b 1 b 2 = a 1 b 1 b 2 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 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 } \{g(a_1), g(a_2)\} = \{a_1,a_2\} , so g ( a 1 ) + g ( a 2 ) = a 1 + a 2 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 , a_1 + a_2 - 2b_1 - 2b_2 = a_1 + a_2, or b 1 + b 2 = 0 b_1 + b_2 = 0 . Hence, f ( x ) + x = g ( x ) f(x) + x = g(x) for all x x , and we can then proceed as in Case 1, with the roles of f f and g g reversed.

Therefore, in either case, f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) = 80 f(2) g(2) = 80 .

Moderator note:

Nicely done!

Erick Wong
Sep 22, 2013

Since f f and g g are monic quadratic, we have f ( x ) = ( x a 1 ) ( x a 2 ) f(x) = (x-a_1)(x-a_2) and g ( x ) = ( x b 1 ) ( x b 2 ) g(x)=(x-b_1)(x-b_2) from [1] and [2]. From [3] we know that f ( x ) g ( x ) f(x)-g(x) is a linear polynomial which maps { b 1 , b 2 } \{b_1,b_2\} to { b 1 , b 2 } \{b_1,b_2\} : either f ( x ) g ( x ) = x f(x)-g(x) = x or f ( x ) g ( x ) = b 1 + b 2 x f(x)-g(x) = b_1+b_2-x . Likewise [4] tells us g ( x ) f ( x ) = x g(x)-f(x) = x or g ( x ) f ( x ) = a 1 + a 2 x g(x)-f(x) = a_1 + a_2 - x . Comparing the last two facts and switching f , g f,g and a i , b i a_i,b_i if necessary, we have WLOG that f ( x ) g ( x ) = x f(x)-g(x) = x and a 1 + a 2 = 0 a_1+a_2 = 0 . Thus f ( x ) = x 2 a 1 2 f(x) = x^2-a_1^2 and g ( x ) = x 2 x a 1 2 g(x) = x^2-x-a_1^2 . By [5], ( 1 a 1 2 ) ( a 1 2 ) = a 1 4 a 1 2 = 132 (1-a_1^2)(-a_1^2) = a_1^4 - a_1^2 = 132 , so a 1 2 12 ) ( a 1 2 + 11 ) = 0 a_1^2-12)(a_1^2+11) = 0 . Since a 1 a_1 is real, a 1 2 = 12 a_1^2=12 , giving f ( 2 ) g ( 2 ) = ( 8 ) ( 10 ) = 80 f(2)g(2) = (-8)(-10) = 80 .

Moderator note:

Nicely done!

Hi; Was anyone able to compute what the two quadratics are?

bobbym none - 7 years, 8 months ago

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Hi,

The quadratics are x 2 x 12 x^2-x-12 and x 2 12 x^2-12

gopinath no - 7 years, 8 months ago

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Hi;

Sorry, but I am not viewing the latex well could you post the quadratics in plain text?

bobbym none - 7 years, 8 months ago

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@Bobbym None Okay, I wrote x^2-x-12 and x^2-12

gopinath no - 7 years, 8 months ago

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@Gopinath No Hi;

Those 2 quadratics do not satisfy condition 3 and 4.

bobbym none - 7 years, 8 months ago

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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.

Erick Wong - 7 years, 8 months ago

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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 a1 = -3 \\ a2 = 4

and

b 1 = 2 3 b 2 = 2 3 b1 = -2 \sqrt{3} \\ b2 = 2 \sqrt{3}

f ( b 1 ) = 2 3 f(b1) = 2 \sqrt{3}

Does that not violate the third condition that f(b1) = b1?

bobbym none - 7 years, 8 months ago

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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 1\ne2 .

Erick Wong - 7 years, 8 months ago

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@Erick Wong Hi Erick W. ;

Yes, I overlooked that. Thanks for clarifying.

bobbym none - 7 years, 8 months ago

@Bobbym None Hi,

I got the quadratics from the conditions there, did you get anything else?

gopinath no - 7 years, 8 months ago

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