Problem of the Day

9 October 2008

Problem.
(a) For which real values of p and q are the roots of the polynomial equation
x3 px2 + 11x q = 0 three consecutive integers? Give the roots in
these cases.
(b) For which real values of p and q does x3 px2 + 11x q = 0 have
exactly one root? What is the root?
Solution. (a) Let the roots be n 1, n, and n + 1. Then the sum of the
roots is 3n = p, the product n3 n = q, and
3n2 1 = (n 1)n + (n 1)(n + 1) + n(n + 1) = 11.
Thus, n = 2 or n = 2. When n = 2, we get p = q = 6, while when n = 2,
p = q = 6.
3
(b) If the roots are all equal to r, the polynomial
qr) , and
q is equal to (x

. When r = 11
, we
so p = 3r, q = r3 , and 11 = 3r2 . Thus, r = 11
3
3
q
q

11
, while when r = 11
, we have p = 33
have p = 33 and q = 11
3
3
3
q
11
.
2
and q = 3 11
3