Functional Equation

Algebra Level 3

For polynomial P ( x ) P(x) , P ( P ( x ) ) = 6 x P ( x ) P(P(x))=6x-P(x) . What is the product of all possible values of P ( 10 ) P(10) ?


The answer is -600.

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1 solution

Hung Woei Neoh
May 7, 2016

P ( P ( x ) ) = 6 x P ( x ) P ( P ( x ) ) + P ( x ) = 6 x P(P(x)) = 6x - P(x)\\ P(P(x)) + P(x) = 6x

Now, let the degree of P ( x ) P(x) be n n . The degree of P ( P ( x ) ) P(P(x)) is n n n^n

For the sum of a n n th degree polynomial and a n n n^n th degree polynomial to be a polynomial of degree 1 1 , the only possible value of n n is 1 1 .

Therefore, P ( x ) P(x) is a polynomial of the form a x + b ax+b .

Substitute it into the equation:

a ( a x + b ) + b + a x + b = 6 x a 2 x + a x + a b + 2 b = 6 x ( a 2 + a ) x + a b + 2 b = 6 x a(ax+b) + b + ax + b = 6x\\ a^2x + ax + ab + 2b = 6x\\ (a^2 + a)x + ab + 2b = 6x

By comparison:

( a 2 + a ) x = 6 x a b + 2 b = 0 (a^2 + a)x = 6x \quad\quad ab+2b = 0

Solve for a a :

( a 2 + a ) x = 6 x a 2 + a = 6 a 2 + a 6 = 0 ( a + 3 ) ( a 2 ) = 0 a = 2 , 3 (a^2 + a)x = 6x\\ a^2+a = 6\\ a^2 + a - 6 = 0\\ (a+3)(a-2) = 0\\ a=2,\;-3

When a = 2 a=2 :

2 b + 2 b = 0 4 b = 0 b = 0 2b+2b = 0\\ 4b=0 \implies b=0

When a = 3 a=-3 :

3 b + 2 b = 0 b = 0 b = 0 -3b+2b = 0\\ -b=0 \implies b=0

There are two possible expressions of P ( x ) P(x) , and they are:

P ( x ) = 2 x P ( 10 ) = 2 ( 10 ) = 20 P ( x ) = 3 x P ( 10 ) = 3 ( 10 ) = 30 P(x) = 2x \implies P(10) = 2(10) = 20\\ P(x) = -3x \implies P(10) = -3(10) = -30

The product of all possible values of P ( 10 ) P(10)

= 20 × 30 = 600 =20 \times -30 = \boxed{-600}

First sentence is false, the degree of P ( P ( x ) ) P(P(x)) is n 2 n^2 , not n n n^n . (This doesn't change the rest of the proof)

Leonardo Finocchiaro - 3 years, 3 months ago

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