2007 AIME II Problems/Problem 14

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Problem

Let $f(x)$ be a polynomial with real coefficients such that $f(0) = 1,$ $f(2)+f(3)=125,$ and for all $x$, $f(x)f(2x^{2})=f(2x^{3}+x).$ Find $f(5).$

Solution

Let $r$ be a root of $f(x)$. Then we have $f(r)f(2r^2)=f(2r^3+r)$; since $r$ is a root, we have $f(r)=0$; therefore $2r^3+r$ is also a root. Thus, if $r$ is real and non-zero, $|2r^3+r|>r$, so $f(x)$ has infinitely many roots. Since $f(x)$ is a polynomial (thus of finite degree) and $f(0)$ is nonzero, $f(x)$ has no real roots.

Note that $f(x)$ is not constant. We then find two complex roots: $r = \pm i$. We find that $f(i)f(-2) = f(-i)$, and that $f(-i)f(-2) = f(i)$. This means that $f(i)f(-i)f(-2)^2 = f(i)f(-i) \Longrightarrow f(i)f(-i)(f(-2)^2 - 1) = 0$. Thus*, $\pm i$ are roots of the polynomial, and so $(x - i)(x + i) = x^2 + 1$ will be a factor of the polynomial.

The polynomial is thus in the form of $f(x) = (x^2 + 1)g(x)$. Substituting into the given expression, we have

\[(x^2+1)g(x)(4x^4+1)g(2x^2)=((2x^3+x)^2+1)g(2x^3+x)\] \[(4x^6+4x^4+x^2+1)g(x)g(2x^2)=(4x^6+4x^4+x^2+1)g(2x^3+x)\]

Thus either $4x^6+4x^4+x^2+1=(4x^4+1)(x^2+1)$ is 0 for any $x$, or $g(x)$ satisfies the same constraints as $f(x)$. Continuing, by infinite descent, $f(x) = (x^2 + 1)^n$ for some $n$.

Since $f(2)+f(3)=125=5^n+10^n$ for some $n$, we have $n=2$; so $f(5) = 676$.

  • This requires the assumption that $f(x)\neq1$. Clearly, $f(x)\neq-1$, because that would imply the existence of a real root.

See also

2007 AIME II (ProblemsAnswer KeyResources)
Preceded by
Problem 13
Followed by
Problem 15
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
All AIME Problems and Solutions