Problems

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Found: 1890

There are 4 weights and scales. How many loads that are different by weight can be accurately weighed using these weights, if

a) weights can be placed only on one side of the scales;

b) weights can be placed on both sides of the scales?

Prove the following formulae are true: \[\begin{aligned} a^{n + 1} - b^{n + 1} &= (a - b) (a^n + a^{n-1}b + \dots + b^n);\\ a^{2n + 1} + b^{2n + 1} &= (a + b) (a^{2n} - a^{2n-1}b + a^{2n-2}b^2 - \dots + b^{2n}). \end{aligned}\]

For a given polynomial \(P (x)\) we describe a method that allows us to construct a polynomial \(R (x)\) that has the same roots as \(P (x)\), but all multiplicities of 1. Set \(Q (x) = (P(x), P'(x))\) and \(R (x) = P (x) Q^{-1} (x)\). Prove that

a) all the roots of the polynomial \(P (x)\) are the roots of \(R (x)\);

b) the polynomial \(R (x)\) has no multiple roots.

Prove that the following polynomial does not have any identical roots: \(P(x) = 1 + x + x^2/2! + \dots + x^n/n!\)