2016 AIME I Problem 11

Attempt Problem 11 of the 2016 AIME I below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 2016 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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11.

Let P(x)P(x) be a nonzero polynomial such that (x1)P(x+1)=(x+2)P(x)(x - 1)P(x + 1) = (x + 2)P(x) for every real x,x, and (P(2))2=P(3).\left(P(2)\right)^2 = P(3). Then P(72)=mn,P\left(\tfrac{7}{2}\right) = \tfrac{m}{n}, where mm and nn are relatively prime positive integers. Find m+n.m + n.

Answer: 109
Concepts:polynomialfunctional equationsubstitution
Difficulty rating: 2990
Solution:

Setting x=1x = 1 in the identity gives 0=3P(1),0 = 3P(1), so P(1)=0.P(1) = 0. Setting x=0x = 0 gives P(1)=2P(0),-P(1) = 2P(0), so P(0)=0,P(0) = 0, and setting x=2x = -2 gives 3P(1)=0,-3P(-1) = 0, so P(1)=0.P(-1) = 0. Hence P(x)=x(x1)(x+1)L(x)P(x) = x(x - 1)(x + 1)L(x) for some polynomial L.L.

Substituting back, (x1)(x+1)x(x+2)L(x+1)(x - 1)\,(x + 1)x(x + 2)L(x + 1) =(x+2)x(x1)(x+1)L(x),= (x + 2)\,x(x - 1)(x + 1)L(x), so L(x+1)=L(x)L(x + 1) = L(x) for all real x,x, which forces LL to be a constant c.c. The normalization (P(2))2=P(3)\left(P(2)\right)^2 = P(3) reads (6c)2=24c,(6c)^2 = 24c, so c=23.c = \frac{2}{3}.

Then P(72)=23725292=1054,P\left(\tfrac{7}{2}\right) = \frac{2}{3} \cdot \frac{7}{2} \cdot \frac{5}{2} \cdot \frac{9}{2} = \frac{105}{4}, and m+n=105+4=109.m + n = 105 + 4 = 109.

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