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Bulgaria

Bulgaria algebra

Problem

Let be a quadratic polynomial with positive leading coefficient. Set for . It is known that the polynomial has four non-positive different zeroes. Prove that the polynomial has different real zeroes.
Solution
Note that if are the zeroes of , then the zeroes of are the solutions of the equations , . Moreover, the equation has two different real roots if and only if .

Assume that has four non-positive different zeroes. Then it is easy to see that has two zeroes and . Using the argument from the beginning, it follows by induction on that all the zeroes of are different and belong to the interval .

Techniques

Polynomial operationsQuadratic functions