2023 AIME I Problem 9

Attempt Problem 9 of the 2023 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 2023 AIME I solutions, or check the answer key.

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9.

Find the number of cubic polynomials p(x)=x3+ax2+bx+c,p(x) = x^3 + ax^2 + bx + c, where a,a, b,b, and cc are integers in {20,19,18,,18,19,20},\{-20, -19, -18, \ldots, 18, 19, 20\}, such that there is a unique integer m2m \ne 2 with p(m)=p(2).p(m) = p(2).

Answer: 738
Concepts:polynomialVieta’s Formulascasework
Difficulty rating: 2920
Solution:

Since p(m)p(2)p(m) - p(2) does not involve c,c, each valid pair (a,b)(a, b) contributes 4141 polynomials. Factoring, p(x)p(2)=(x2)q(x),q(x)=x2+(a+2)x+(2a+b+4), \begin{aligned} p(x)-p(2) &= (x-2)q(x), \\ q(x) &= x^2+(a+2)x \\ &\quad {}+(2a+b+4), \end{aligned} so we need the quadratic factor q(x)q(x) to have exactly one integer root different from 2.2. If qq has any integer root, its other root is also an integer (their sum (a+2)-(a+2) is an integer); if qq has no integer root, then no mm exists at all. So either qq has roots 22 and kk with k2,k \ne 2, or a double root k2.k \ne 2.

Roots 22 and k:k: Vieta's formulas give a=4ka = -4 - k and b=4k+4.b = 4k + 4. The constraint 20b20-20 \le b \le 20 forces 6k4-6 \le k \le 4 (and then aa is automatically in range), so excluding k=2k = 2 leaves 1010 pairs. Double root k:k: here a=2k2a = -2k - 2 and b=k2+4k,b = k^2 + 4k, and b20b \le 20 forces 6k2,-6 \le k \le 2, all valid for a,a, so excluding k=2k = 2 leaves 88 pairs.

That is 1818 pairs (a,b),(a, b), hence 1841=73818 \cdot 41 = 738 polynomials.

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