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myro111
Jan7-11, 08:41 AM
I found some problems from old contests in my book and I need some help solving them since I could not find the solutions online.

Some USA contest problems:

1.(1977.)Let a and b be 2 solutions of x^4+x^3-1=0 .Prove that a*b is the solution of x^6+x^4+x^3-x^2-1=0

2.(1983.).Prove that all the solutions of x^5+ax^4+bx^3+cx^2+dx+e=0 are real if 2a^2<5b

German contest

3.(1977.)How many pairs of numbers p,and q from N which are smaller than 100 and for which x^5+px+q=0 has a rational solution exist ?

Moscow olympiad

4.(1951.) Dividing the polynomial x^1^9^5^1-1 with P(x)=x^4+x^3+2*x^2+x+1 we get a quotient and remainder.What is the coefficient next to x^1^4 in the quotient?

5.(1955.)If p/q is the root of the polynomial f(x)=a[0]*x^n+a[1]*x^n^-^1+...+a[n] and p and q don't have common divisors.If f(x) has integer coefficients then prove that p-k*q is a divisor of f(k) for every integer k.

Thank you very much!!!!

verty
Jan7-11, 08:49 AM
What have you tried so far? Do you have ideas how to tackle them?

myro111
Jan7-11, 11:33 AM
1. Divide the second polynomial with x-ab and I get as a remainder (ab)^6+(ab)^4+(ab)^3-(ab)^2-1 The remainder is the second polynomial but instead of x it is ab.I got this idea because if we have a polynomial P(x),a is the root only and only if P(x) is divisible by x-a,and that fact is well known.The other idea was Vietes formulas but couldn't get anything.

2.No idea.

3.No idea

4.No idea.

5.No idea.

verty
Jan7-11, 02:25 PM
I'm kidding myself that I have anything close to the knowledge required to solve these, but...

Write x^6 + x^4 + x^3 - x^2 - 1 = 0 as x^4 + x^3 - 1 = x^2 (1 - x^4), substitute x = a, that should help you to get a range of values for ab.

myro111
Jan7-11, 05:36 PM
Dont worry I solved it another way.But thx for the try.I used Vietes formulas