AMSP 2020 Session 1

Algebra 1.5 Week 1 Test - Solutions

1. Expand ((a + b)2 − ab)2 . [5]

Solution: We have the following expansion:

((a + b)2 − ab)2 = (a2 + 2ab + b2 − ab)2

= (a2 + ab + b2 )2
= a4 + 2a3 b + 3a2 b2 + 2ab3 + b4

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2. Factor 64x6 − 729y 6 . [5]

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Hint: Factor 64 and 729 first.
Solution: We see that 64 = 26 and 729 = 36 . As such, we have:

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64x6 − 729y 6 = (2x)6 − (3y)6
= ((2x)3 − (3y)3 )((2x)3 + (3y)3 )
= (2x − 3y)(4x2 + 6xy + 9y 2 )(2x + 3y)(4x2 − 6xy + 9y 2 )

The first step uses difference of squares, while the second uses difference and sum
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of cubes respectively.

3. Solve the equation 2x4 + 7x3 − 12x2 − 38x + 21 = 0. Explain your reasoning clearly.
[5]
Solution: We use the Rational Root Theorem to find rational roots of the equation
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first. The set of factors of the independent coefficient, 21, and the leading coefficient,
2, are {±1, ±3, ±7, ±21} and {±1, ±2}, respectively.
Thus, the rational root candidates are: {±1, ±3, ±7, ±21, ±1/2, ±3/2, ±7/2, ±21/2}.
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Trying these values we find that −3 and 1/2 are the rational roots of the given
polynomial, hence (x + 3) and (x − 1/2) are factors of the polynomial. After
dividing by these factors, we get that

2x4 + 7x3 − 12x2 − 38x + 21 = 2(x + 3)(x − 1/2)(x2 + x − 7).

So now we need to find the roots of the polynomial

√ x√2 + x − 7, which are easily
found applying the quadratic formula: −1−2 29 and −1+2 29 .

4. Factor n4 + 4n for odd positive integers n. [10]

Hint: a4 + 4b4 = (a4 + 4a2 b2 + 4b4 ) − 4a2 b2
Solution: Since n is odd, we can write n = 2k + 1 for some non-negative integer
k. From this, we have the following:

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AMSP 2020 Session 1

n4 + 4n = (2k + 1)4 + 42k+1

= (2k + 1)4 + 4 · 42k

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= (2k + 1)4 + 4 · 2k

From the hint, or from knowledge of the Sophie Germain factorization, we know
that a4 + 4b4 = (a2 − 2ab + 2b2 )(a2 + 2ab + 2b2 ). We can apply this factorization in
the following way:

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(2k + 1)4 + 4 · 2k
= ((2k + 1)2 − 2(2k + 1)2k + 2(2k )2 )((2k + 1)2 + 2(2k + 1)2k + 2(2k )2 )

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= ((2k + 1)2 − (2k + 1)2k+1 + 22k+1 )((2k + 1)2 + (2k + 1)2k+1 + 22k+1 )
n+1 n+1
= (n2 − n2 2 + 2n )(n2 + n2 2 + 2n )

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5. Factor 2a2 b2 + 2b2 c2 + 2c2 a2 − a4 − b4 − c4 . [10]
Solution: Let’s consider the given expression as a polynomial in the variable a and
substitute x = a2 , then we have

−x2 + x(2b2 + 2c2 ) + 2b2 c2 − b4 − c4 .

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So we can use the quadratic formula to find the roots of this polynomial: b2 +c2 −2bc
and b2 + c2 + 2bc. Therefore a = b + c, b − c, −b − c, −b + c are the four roots of the
original expression, so it can be factored as

−(a − b − c)(a − b + c)(a + b − c)(a + b + c).

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√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
6. √
Find the
√ value of ( 7 + 11 + 13)(− 7 + 11 + 13)( 7 − 11 + 13)( 7+
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11 − 13). [10]
Solution: Rewrite the given expression as

√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
−( 7 + 11 + 13)( 7 − 11 − 13)( 7 − 11 + 13)( 7 + 11 − 13).
√ √ √
Now we can use previous exercise factorisation with a = 7, b = 11, c = 13 and
we obtain 283.

7. Find all of the 6 different prime factors of 512064008001 given that 13 is one of
them. [10]
Solution: This number is characterized by the powers of 2 located within the digits.
Indeed, we can use this to motivate the equation 512064008001 = 209 +206 +203 +1.
From here, we can factor:

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AMSP 2020 Session 1

209 + 206 + 203 + 1 = (206 + 1)(203 + 1)

= (202 + 1)(204 − 202 + 1)(20 + 1)(202 − 20 + 1)
= 401 · 159601 · 21 · 381

We find the prime factorizations for 21 = 3 · 7 and 381 = 3 · 127. Furthermore, by

checking primes up to 19, we can verify that 401 is prime. Now, we are given that
13 is a prime factor, so it must divide 159601. Indeed, we have 159601 = 13 · 12277.
Since there are supposed to be only six unique prime factors, we either have that
12277 is divisible by 3, 7, 13, 127, or 401, or that it is prime or a prime power. A

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quick check shows us that 12277 is not divisible by any of those numbers, and is
not a prime power. So, the six unique primes are 3, 7, 13, 127, 401, and 12277.

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8. Determine the maximum value of (x − y)3 + (y − z)3 + (z − x)3 over all real values
x ≥ y ≥ z. [15]
Solution: We have the famous factorization of a3 + b3 + c3 − 3abc = (a + b + c)(a2 +
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b2 + c2 − ab − ac − bc), so we will use it here. Let a = x − y, b = y − z, and c = z − x.
From this, we know the following two facts:

• a+b+c=0
• a ≥ 0, b ≥ 0, and c ≤ 0
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We also have the following result from the factorization:

a3 + b3 + c3 = (a + b + c)(a2 + b2 + c2 − ab − ac − bc) + 3abc

= 0 + 3abc

So, our expression is equivalent to 3abc. Due to the second fact above, we know
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that 3abc ≤ 0. Furthermore, 0 is attained when x = y = z (among other cases), so

the maximum value of our expression is 0.
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9. For all real x, y, and z, prove that x2 + y 2 + z 2 ≥ |x| y 2 + z 2 + |z| y 2 + x2 . [15]
√
Hint: The absolute value |x| is always equal to x2 .
Solution: Because x2 , y 2 , and z 2 are non-negative for all real x, y, and z, we can
use the AM-GM inequality. We will do so in two ways:
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x2 + (y 2 + z 2 ) ≥ 2p(x2 )(y 2 + z 2 ) = 2|x|p y 2 + z 2
(x2 + y 2 ) + z 2 ≥ 2 (z 2 )(y 2 + x2 ) = 2|z| y 2 + x2

Adding the two inequalities and dividing by 2 gives the desired result.

10. Suppose P (x) is a polynomial with all coefficients as even integers. Let P (x) =
(x − c)Q(x) + r, where c is some integer.

a) Show that r is an even integer. [3]

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AMSP 2020 Session 1

b) Show that Q(x) must be a polynomial with all coefficients as even integers,
regardless of c. You may assume the result in part a), whether or not you
proved it successfully. [7]
c) Suppose P (x) is a polynomial with all coefficients as even integers. If the
remainder of P (x) when divided by (x − 1) is 4, and the remainder when P (x)
when divided by (x + 1) is 10, find the remainder of P (x) when divided by
(x2 − 1). You may assume the results in parts a) and b), whether or not you
proved them successfully. [10]

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Solution:

a) From the given equation, we have that P (c) = r. Since the coefficients of P (x)

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are all even, P (c) is a sum of even numbers, which is even. Therefore, r is
even.
b) We can induct on the degree of P (x), which we will call n. If n = 0, then
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Q(x) = 0, so the statement is true. For n = 1, let P (x) = 2ax + 2b. Then, we
have that 2ax + 2b = (x − c)(2a) + (2b − 2ac), so the statement holds. Now,
assume the statement holds for an arbitrary polynomial of degree k with even
coefficients, and show the statement must hold for such a polynomial of degree
k + 1.
Let P (x) = ak+1 xk+1 + ak xk + ak−1 xk−1 + . . . + a0 , where ai is even for all i.
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Through one step of the long division process, we have the following:

P (x) = (x − c)(ak+1 xk ) + [(ak + cak+1 )xk + ak−1 xk−1 + . . . + a0 ]

The part in brackets is a polynomial of degree k with even coefficients, as

ak + cak+1 must be even. So, it must be equal to (x − c)Q1 (x) + r, where Q1 (x)
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has even coefficients. Therefore, we have:

P (x) = (x − c)(ak+1 xk ) + (x − c)Q1 (x) + r = (x − c)(ak+1 xk + Q1 (x)) + r

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ak+1 xk + Q1 (x) is a polynomial with even coefficients. So, by induction, we

have proven our statement.
c) We are given that P (x) = (x − 1)F (x) + 4, and P (x) = (x + 1)G(x) + 10.
From this, we can conclude the following:

(x + 1)P (x) = (x2 − 1)F (x) + 4(x + 1)

(x − 1)P (x) = (x2 − 1)G(x) + 10(x − 1)
=⇒ 2P (x) = (x2 − 1)(F (x) − G(x)) +
4(x + 1) − 10(x − 1)
=⇒ P (x) = (x2 − 1) 21 (F (x) − G(x)) + (−3x + 7)

From part b, we have that 21 (F (x) − G(x)) is an integer polynomial, meaning

that our remainder is −3x + 7.
Alternative solution to part c): By the Division Algorithm, we have that

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AMSP 2020 Session 1

P (x) = (x2 − 1)Q(x) + ax + b,

for some numbers a, b. By the Remainder Theorem, we know that P (1) = 4
and P (−1) = 10, so a + b = 4 and −a + b = 10. Solving this system of
equations we find that a = −3 and b = 7, so the remainder is −3x + 7.

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