olymmath

Putnam 1976

William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition 1976.

Session A

A4

  • Session A

Let rr be a root of P(x)=x3+ax2+bx−1=0P(x) = x^3 + ax^2 + bx - 1 = 0 and r+1r + 1 be a root of y3+cy2+dy+1=0y^3 + cy^2 + dy + 1 = 0, where a,b,c,da, b, c, d are integers. Also let P(x)P(x) be irreducible over the rational numbers. Find all root ss of P(x)=0P(x) = 0 as a function of rr which does not explicitly involve a,b,c,orda, b, c, or d and sum them together.

Answer, solutions and source

Session B