Skip to main content
OlympiadHQ

Browse · MATH

Print

jmc

algebra senior

Problem

Let and be two distinct polynomials with real coefficients such that the -coordinate of the vertex of is a root of and the -coordinate of the vertex of is a root of and both and have the same minimum value. If the graphs of the two polynomials intersect at the point what is the value of ?
Solution
By symmetry, the line must be equidistant to both vertices of the parabolas. Furthermore, the -coordinate of the vertex of is and the -coordinate of the vertex of is



Therefore, which implies
Final answer
-400