AGE... (Again!)

Forum rules
Please don't post problems (by starting a topic) in the "X: Solved" forums. Those forums are only for showcasing the problems for the convenience of the users. You can always post the problems in the main Divisional Math Olympiad forum. Later we shall move that topic with proper formatting, and post in the resource section.
User avatar
bristy1588
Posts:92
Joined:Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:31 am
AGE... (Again!)

Unread post by bristy1588 » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:51 am

Shokal and Shishir were talking about their ages.
Shokal said, "My age is the root of a polynimial".
After seeing the polynomial $P(n)$, Shishir told, "Your Age is $7$ years".
Then again Shishir told"Oh, I have made a mistake. Actually $P(7)$=77."
Shokal told, "Yes, My age is much more than that".
Shishir came up with another number, $k$, and after telling that he understood that he was wrong, as $P(k)=85$. Find Shokal's age.
Bristy Sikder

User avatar
*Mahi*
Posts:1175
Joined:Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:46 pm
Location:23.786228,90.354974
Contact:

Re: AGE... (Again!)

Unread post by *Mahi* » Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:15 pm

bristy1588 wrote:Shokal and Shishir were talking about their ages.
Shokal said, "My age is the root of a polynimial".
After seeing the polynomial $P(n)$, Shishir told, "Your Age is $7$ years".
Then again Shishir told"Oh, I have made a mistake. Actually $P(7)$=77."
Shokal told, "Yes, My age is much more than that".
Shishir came up with another number, $k$, and after telling that he understood that he was wrong, as $P(k)=85$. Find Shokal's age.
First of all, $P(n)$ is a polynomial makes no sense if its not with integer coefficients. Only when all the coefficients are integer, there will be valid answer.
So, hint:
For any polynomial $F:\mathbb N \rightarrow \mathbb N , a-b|F(a)-F(b)$
This reduces the problem to
$k-7 |14 , 7-x|77 , k-x|85$ where $x$ is Shokal's age.
Please read Forum Guide and Rules before you post.

Use $L^AT_EX$, It makes our work a lot easier!

Nur Muhammad Shafiullah | Mahi

Post Reply