Tuesday, 1 May 2018

number theory - Is there a polynomial p(x) with integer coefficients such that p(2013)=1789 and p(1515)=1830?




Problem:
Is there a polynomial p(x) with integer coefficients such that
p(2013)=1789 and p(1515)=1830?





My attempt:



After ruling out polynomials of degree 1, 2 and 3, and with further inspection, it appeared to me that such a polynomial doesn't exist.



Is my below proof accurate?






Suppose that p exists, and let




q(x)=p(x)1789 and s(x)=p(x)1830



then, q(2013)=0 and s(1515)=0, so clearly,



q(x)=(x2013)f(x) and s(x)=(x1515)g(x),



for some polynomials f and g with integer coefficients.



Let a, c and d be the constant terms of p, g and f, respectively, and observe that the constant terms of s and q are




1515c=a1830  and 2013d=a1789,   respectively.       ()



Thus,



a1830315(mod1515) and a1789(mod2013).



But this system of congruence doesn't have a simultaneous solution (since gcd).




Hence, there's no integer value of a that satisfies (*), which is a contradiction.
Therefore, p doesn't exist.






If the above is correct, is there perhaps a more direct way of proving this?


Answer



p(2013)-p(1515) is divisible by 2013-1515=498, but 1789-1830=-41 is not.



It follows from the following reasoning.




Let p(x)=a_0x^n+a_1x^{n-1}+...+a_n, where a_i\in\mathbb Z.



Thus, p(m)-p(k)=a_0(m^n-k^n)+a_1(m^{n-1}-k^{n-1})+...+a_{n-1}(m-k)=
=(m-k)(a_0(m^{n-1}+m^{n-2}k+...+k^{n-1})+a_1(m^{n-2}+...+k^{n-2})+...+a_{n-1}).


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