Mathematical Circle – Lahore 2010

Algebra 1 – Solutions

Problem 1: Can you choose signs ±, instead of ∗, such that the total sum

∗ 1 ∗ 2 ∗ … ∗ 2009 ∗ 2010

Is zero?

Solution

In the sequence 1, 2, 3 to 2010, there are 1005 odd numbers, and 1005 even numbers. Thus, any
sum or difference of these numbers, in any order or combination, will always give an odd number, as
the number of odd numbers is odd. Thus, the answer can never be zero.

1 2 3 2009
Problem 2: Compute � + + + …+ �.
2! 3! 4! 2010!

Solution

We know that:
2010
1 2 3 2009 𝑛𝑛 − 1
� + + + …+ � = �� �
2! 3! 4! 2010! 𝑛𝑛!
𝑛𝑛=2

Our claim is that:

𝑥𝑥
𝑛𝑛 − 1 𝑥𝑥! − 1
� =
𝑛𝑛! 𝑥𝑥!
𝑛𝑛=2

Proof

We use proof by induction:

Base case:
2
𝑛𝑛 − 1 1 2 − 1 1
� = = =
𝑛𝑛! 2! 2! 2
𝑛𝑛=2

This is trivially true.

Inductive step:
𝑥𝑥
𝑛𝑛 − 1
�
𝑛𝑛!
𝑛𝑛=2
𝑥𝑥−1
𝑛𝑛 − 1 𝑥𝑥 − 1
=� +
𝑛𝑛! 𝑥𝑥!
𝑛𝑛=2
 (𝑥𝑥 − 1)! − 1 𝑥𝑥 − 1
= +
(𝑥𝑥 − 1)! 𝑥𝑥!
𝑥𝑥�(𝑥𝑥 − 1)! − 1� + 𝑥𝑥 − 1
=
𝑥𝑥!
𝑥𝑥! − 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑥𝑥 − 1
=
𝑥𝑥!
𝑥𝑥! − 1
=
𝑥𝑥!

(Proved)

Thus
2010
𝑛𝑛 − 1
�� �
𝑛𝑛!
𝑛𝑛=2
2010! − 1
=� �
2010!
=0
𝑛𝑛−1
In fact, it is easily seen from the result that �∑𝑥𝑥𝑛𝑛=2 � is 0 for any integer x.
𝑛𝑛!

Problem 3: If two quadratic polynomials P and Q have real roots and P + Q doesn’t have real roots,
what can you say about the roots of P – Q?

Solution

Let 𝑃𝑃(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑎𝑎1 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏1 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐1 and 𝑄𝑄(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑎𝑎2 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑏2 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑐𝑐2 .

Then, 𝑏𝑏12 − 4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 ≥ 0 and 𝑏𝑏22 − 4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐2 ≥ 0 . Also, (𝑏𝑏1 + 𝑏𝑏2 )2 − 4(𝑎𝑎1 + 𝑎𝑎2 )(𝑐𝑐1 + 𝑐𝑐2 ) < 0 .
Expanding, 𝑏𝑏12 + 2𝑏𝑏1 𝑏𝑏2 + 𝑏𝑏22 − 4(𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 + 𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐2 + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐1 + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐2 ) < 0 or (𝑏𝑏12 − 4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 ) + (𝑏𝑏22 −
4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐2 ) − (2𝑏𝑏1 𝑏𝑏2 − 4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐2 − 4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐1 ) < 0. But since the terms in the first two brackets are greater
than or equal to zero, 2𝑏𝑏1 𝑏𝑏2 − 4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐2 − 4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐1 < 0 or 4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐2 + 4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐1 − 2𝑏𝑏1 𝑏𝑏2 > 0.

Now consider the discriminant of P – Q: (𝑏𝑏1 − 𝑏𝑏2 )2 − 4(𝑎𝑎1 − 𝑎𝑎2 )(𝑐𝑐1 − 𝑐𝑐2 ) = 𝑏𝑏12 − 2𝑏𝑏1 𝑏𝑏2 + 𝑏𝑏22 −
4(𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 − 𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐2 − 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐1 + 𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐2 ) = (𝑏𝑏12 − 4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐1 ) + (𝑏𝑏22 − 4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐2 ) + (4𝑎𝑎1 𝑐𝑐2 + 4𝑎𝑎2 𝑐𝑐1 − 2𝑏𝑏1 𝑏𝑏2 ), which
is strictly greater than zero as two of the terms are greater than or equal to zero, and one is strictly
greater than zero. Thus the roots of P – Q are real and distinct.