2020 AIME I Problem 14

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14.

Let P(x)P(x) be a quadratic polynomial with complex coefficients whose x2x^2 coefficient is 1.1. Suppose the equation P(P(x))=0P(P(x)) = 0 has four distinct solutions, x=3,4,a,b.x = 3, 4, a, b. Find the sum of all possible values of (a+b)2.(a + b)^2.

Answer: 85
Concepts:polynomialVieta’s Formulascomplex numbercasework
Difficulty rating: 3060
Solution:

Write P(x)=x2+px+qP(x) = x^2 + px + q with roots r1r_1 and r2.r_2. The solutions of P(P(x))=0P(P(x)) = 0 split into the two solutions of P(x)=r1P(x) = r_1 and the two of P(x)=r2,P(x) = r_2, and each pair sums to p.-p.

If 33 and 44 form one pair, then a+b=p=3+4=7,a + b = -p = 3 + 4 = 7, so (a+b)2=49.(a + b)^2 = 49. This is achievable: P(x)=(x3)(x4)+r1P(x) = (x - 3)(x - 4) + r_1 with r1r_1 satisfying r126r1+12=0,r_1^2 - 6r_1 + 12 = 0, which has (complex) solutions, and the four roots are distinct.

Otherwise 33 and 44 lie in different pairs: 3+a=4+b=p=s,3 + a = 4 + b = -p = s, and {P(3),P(4)}={r1,r2}.\{P(3), P(4)\} = \{r_1, r_2\}. The root sum gives P(3)+P(4)=25+7p+2qP(3) + P(4) = 25 + 7p + 2q =s,= s, so with p=sp = -s we get q=4s252,q = 4s - \frac{25}{2}, and then P(3)=s72P(3) = s - \frac{7}{2} and P(4)=72.P(4) = \frac{7}{2}. The root product gives 72(s72)=q=4s252,\frac{7}{2}\left(s - \frac{7}{2}\right) = q = 4s - \frac{25}{2}, whose solution is s=12.s = \frac{1}{2}. Then a+b=(s3)+(s4)=6,a + b = (s - 3) + (s - 4) = -6, so (a+b)2=36,(a + b)^2 = 36, with a=52,a = -\frac{5}{2}, b=72b = -\frac{7}{2} all distinct from 33 and 4.4. The sum of all possible values is 49+36=85.49 + 36 = 85.

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