Skip to main content
OlympiadHQ

Browse · MATH

Print

jmc

algebra intermediate

Problem

The polynomial has three distinct roots. Let be a cubic polynomial with leading coefficient such that the roots of are the squares of the roots of . Find the ordered triple .
Solution
If is a root of , then . Rearranging, we have and squaring this equation gives or Rewriting this equation in the form , we see that the polynomial has as a root, so three of its roots are the squares of the roots of . But this polynomial is cubic, so these are its only roots. Thus, , and so .
Final answer
(3,-2,-9)