Let . For how many polynomials , does there exist a polynomial of degree 3 such that ?
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We want Q ( x ) to be a quadratic polynomial (so that P ( Q ( x ) ) has degree 6 ). For P ( x ) to divide P ( Q ( x ) ) , we want P ( Q ( x ) ) to have zeros at 3 , 4 , 5 , and hence each of Q ( 3 ) , Q ( 4 ) , Q ( 5 ) must belong to { 3 , 4 , 5 } .
There is a unique polynomial Q a , b , c ( x ) of degree at most 2 such that Q a , b , c ( 3 ) = a , Q a , b , c ( 4 ) = b and Q a , b , c ( 5 ) = c , and so each valid Q ( x ) must be a quadratic Q a , b , c ( x ) where a , b , c ∈ { 3 , 4 , 5 } . Considering the 2 7 polynomials Q a , b , c ( x ) for a , b , c ∈ { 3 , 4 , 5 } , the polynomial Q a , b , c ( x ) will have degree 2 except when a , b , c are in arithmetic progression (in which case Q a , b , c ( x ) will be linear or constant). Only the triples ( 3 , 3 , 3 ) , ( 4 , 4 , 4 ) , ( 5 , 5 , 5 ) , ( 3 , 4 , 5 ) , ( 5 , 4 , 3 ) are in arithmetic progression, and so there are 2 2 polynomials Q ( x ) .