MathDB
Primordial polynomials

Source: India IMOTC 2024 Day 4 Problem 1

May 31, 2024
Polynomialsalgebrapolynomial

Problem Statement

Let r>0r>0 be a real number. We call a monic polynomial with complex coefficients rr-good if all of its roots have absolute value at most rr. We call a monic polynomial with complex coefficients primordial if all of its coefficients have absolute value at most 11. a) Prove that any 11-good polynomial has a primordial multiple. b) If r>1r>1, prove that there exists an rr-good polynomial that does not have a primordial multiple.
Proposed by Pranjal Srivastava