Maths Olympiad Prep

Track / Stage 6 / 207 of 400 #1207 of 1964

Problem 1207

National Olympiad, first round
Algebra Difficulty 6.2 Prove it

(20 points) Let
f(x)=ax3+bx2+cx+d(a>43).  f(x)=a x^{3}+b x^{2}+c x+d\left(a>\frac{4}{3}\right) \text {. }

Prove: There are at most three integers xx, such that ∣f(x)∣⩽1|f(x)| \leqslant 1.

This one wants a proof. Work it on paper, then read the official solution and mark yourself. Be honest about it: the record is only any use to you if it is.

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Official solution

10. Suppose there are at least four integers satisfying ∣f(x)∣⩽1|f(x)| \leqslant 1.
Let u,v,w,ru, v, w, r be four such integers, and u<v<w<ru<v<w<r.
Then f(x)f(x)
=f(u)(x−v)(x−w)(x−r)(u−v)(u−w)(u−r)+f(v)(x−u)(x−w)(x−r)(v−u)(v−w)(v−r)+f(w)(x−r)(x−u)(x−v)(w−r)(w−u)(w−v)+f(r)(x−u)(x−v)(x−w)(r−u)(r−v)(r−w). \begin{array}{c} =f(u) \frac{(x-v)(x-w)(x-r)}{(u-v)(u-w)(u-r)}+ \\ f(v) \frac{(x-u)(x-w)(x-r)}{(v-u)(v-w)(v-r)}+ \\ f(w) \frac{(x-r)(x-u)(x-v)}{(w-r)(w-u)(w-v)}+ \\ f(r) \frac{(x-u)(x-v)(x-w)}{(r-u)(r-v)(r-w)} . \end{array}

Thus, a=f(u)(u−v)(u−w)(u−r)+a=\frac{f(u)}{(u-v)(u-w)(u-r)}+
f(v)(v−u)(v−w)(v−r)+f(w)(w−r)(w−u)(w−v)+f(r)(r−u)(r−v)(r−w)⇒∣a∣⩽∣f(u)(u−v)(u−w)(u−r)∣+∣f(v)(v−u)(v−w)(v−r)∣+∣f(w)(w−r)(w−u)(w−v)∣+∣f(r)(r−u)(r−v)(r−w)∣∣1(u−v)(u−w)(u−r)∣+∣1(v−u)(v−w)(v−r)∣+∣1(w−r)(w−u)(w−v)∣+∣1(r−u)(r−v)(r−w)∣⩽11×2×3+11×2×1+11×2×1+13×2×1=43,  \begin{array}{l} \frac{f(v)}{(v-u)(v-w)(v-r)}+ \\ \frac{f(w)}{(w-r)(w-u)(w-v)}+ \\ \frac{f(r)}{(r-u)(r-v)(r-w)} \\ \Rightarrow|a| \leqslant\left|\frac{f(u)}{(u-v)(u-w)(u-r)}\right|+ \\ \left|\frac{f(v)}{(v-u)(v-w)(v-r)}\right|+ \\ \left|\frac{f(w)}{(w-r)(w-u)(w-v)}\right|+ \\ \begin{array}{l} \left|\frac{f(r)}{(r-u)(r-v)(r-w)}\right| \\ \left|\frac{1}{(u-v)(u-w)(u-r)}\right|+ \end{array} \\ \left|\frac{1}{(v-u)(v-w)(v-r)}\right|+ \\ \left|\frac{1}{(w-r)(w-u)(w-v)}\right|+ \\ \left|\frac{1}{(r-u)(r-v)(r-w)}\right| \\ \leqslant \frac{1}{1 \times 2 \times 3}+\frac{1}{1 \times 2 \times 1}+ \\ \frac{1}{1 \times 2 \times 1}+\frac{1}{3 \times 2 \times 1} \\ =\frac{4}{3} \text {, } \\ \end{array}

which contradicts the given condition.
Therefore, at most three integers xx satisfy ∣f(x)∣⩽1|f(x)| \leqslant 1.

Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement reproduced verbatim; metadata (topic, difficulty, ordering) added by this project.