# Difference between revisions of "2020 AIME I Problems/Problem 14"

## Problem

Let $P(x)$ be a quadratic polynomial with complex coefficients whose $x^2$ coefficient is $1.$ Suppose the equation $P(P(x))=0$ has four distinct solutions, $x=3,4,a,b.$ Find the sum of all possible values of $(a+b)^2.$

## Solution 1

Either $P(3) = P(4)$ or not. We first see that if $P(3) = P(4)$ it's easy to obtain by Vieta's that $(a+b)^2 = 49$. Now, take $P(3) \neq P(4)$ and WLOG $P(3) = P(a), P(4) = P(b)$. Now, consider the parabola formed by the graph of $P$. It has vertex $\frac{3+a}{2}$. Now, say that $P(x) = x^2 - (3+a)x + c$. We note $P(3)P(4) = c = P(3)(4 - 4a + \frac{8a - 1}{2}) \implies a = \frac{7P(3) + 1}{8}$. Now, we note $P(4) = \frac{7}{2}$ by plugging in again. Now, it's easy to find that $a = -2.5, b = -3.5$, yielding a value of $36$. Finally, we add $49 + 36 = \boxed{085}$. ~awang11, charmander3333

Remark: We know that $c=\frac{8a-1}{2}$ from $P(3)+P(4)=3+a$.

## Solution 2

Let the roots of $P(x)$ be $m$ and $n$, then we can write $P(x)=x^2-(m+n)x+mn$. The fact that $P(P(x))=0$ has solutions $x=3,4,a,b$ implies that some combination of $2$ of these are the solution to $P(x)=m$, and the other $2$ are the solution to $P(x)=n$. It's fairly easy to see there are only $2$ possible such groupings: $P(3)=P(4)=m$ and $P(a)=P(b)=n$, or $P(3)=P(a)=m$ and $P(4)=P(b)=n$ (Note that $a,b$ are interchangeable, and so are $m$ and $n$). We now casework: If $P(3)=P(4)=m$, then $$9-3(m+n)+mn=16-4(m+n)+mn=m \implies m+n=7$$ $$a^2-a(m+n)+mn=b^2-b(m+n)+mn=n \implies a+b=m+n=7$$ so this gives $(a+b)^2=7^2=49$. Next, if $P(3)=P(a)=m$, then $$9-3(m+n)+mn=a^2-a(m+n)+mn=m \implies a+3=m+n$$ $$16-4(m+n)+mn=b^2-b(m+n)+mn=n \implies b+4=m+n$$ Subtracting the first part of the first equation from the first part of the second equation gives $$7-(m+n)=n-m \implies 2n=7 \implies n=\frac{7}{2} \implies m=-3$$ Hence, $a+b=2(m+n)-7=2\cdot \frac{1}{2}-7=-6$, and so $(a+b)^2=(-6)^2=36$. Therefore, the solution is $49+36=\boxed{085}$ ~ktong

## Solution 3

Write $P(x) = x^2+wx+z$. Split the problem into two cases: $P(3)\ne P(4)$ and $P(3) = P(4)$.

Case 1: We have $P(3) \ne P(4)$. We must have $$w=-P(3)-P(4) = -(9+3w+z)-(16+4w+z) = -25-7w-2z.$$ Rearrange and divide through by $8$ to obtain $$w = \frac{-25-2z}{8}.$$ Now, note that $$z = P(3)P(4) = (9+3w+z)(16+4w+z) = \left(9 + 3\cdot \frac{-25-2z}{8} + z\right)\left(16 + 4 \cdot \frac{-25-2z}{8} + z\right) =$$ $$\left(-\frac{3}{8} + \frac{z}{4}\right)\left(\frac{7}{2}\right) = -\frac{21}{16} + \frac{7z}{8}.$$ Now, rearrange to get $$\frac{z}{8} = -\frac{21}{16}$$ and thus $$z = -\frac{21}{2}.$$ Substituting this into our equation for $w$ yields $w = -\frac{1}{2}$. Then, it is clear that $P$ does not have a double root at $P(3)$, so we must have $P(a) = P(3)$ and $P(b) = P(4)$ or vice versa. This gives $3+a = \frac{1}{2}$ and $4+b = \frac{1}{2}$ or vice versa, implying that $a+b = 1-3-4 = -6$ and $(a+b)^2 = 6$.

Case 2: We have $P(3) = P(4)$. Then, we must have $w = -7$. It is clear that $P(a) = P(b)$ (we would otherwise get $P(a)=P(3)=P(4)$ implying $a \in \{3,4\}$ or vice versa), so $a+b=-w=7$ and $(a+b)^2 = 49$.

Thus, our final answer is $49+36=\boxed{085}$. ~GeronimoStilton

## Solution 4

Let $P(x)=(x-r)(x-s)$. There are two cases: in the first case, $(3-r)(3-s)=(4-r)(4-s)$ equals $r$ (without loss of generality), and thus $(a-r)(a-s)=(b-r)(b-s)=s$. By Vieta's formulas $a+b=r+s=3+4=7$.

In the second case, say without loss of generality $(3-r)(3-s)=r$ and $(4-r)(4-s)=s$. Subtracting gives $-7+r+s=r-s$, so $s=7/2$. From this, we have $r=-3$.

Note $r+s=1/2$, so by Vieta's, we have $\{a,b\}=\{1/2-3,1/2-4\}=\{-5/2,-7/2\}$. In this case, $a+b=-6$.

The requested sum is $36+49=85$.~TheUltimate123