Find all polynomials $P(x)$ such that $ x P(x-n)=(x-1) P(x) $

contest-mathpolynomials

Question

Find all polynomials $P(x)$ with real coefficients such that
$$
x P(x-n)=(x-1) P(x)
$$

for some $n \in \mathbb{N}$ and for all $x \in \mathbb{R}$

My attempt

First by putting $x=0$, I get $p(0)=0$ ..
then the hint says that for $n>1$ show that $p(x)=0$ has infinitely many zeros…

I first let that another root $R$ is not equal to $0$..then by putting $R$ in equation I get that $R-n$ is also root …but I am unable to prove that there are infinitely roots…

Any hints ???

Thank You

Best Answer

Case $n>1$

As you noticed $P(0)=0$. Using this fact and evaluate the equality in $x=n$ you have: \begin{gather} nP(n-n) = (n-1)P(n)\\ 0 = P(n) \end{gather}

This procedure suggests (in some sense) the following statement:

If $k\in \mathbb N$ and $kn$ is a root of $P(x)$, then $(k+1)n$ is a root of $P$.

Infact, evaluating the eqaulity in $(k+1)n$ knowing that $P(kn)=0$ we have: \begin{gather} (k+1)n P((k+1)n-n)) = ((k+1)n-1)P((k+1)n)\\ 0 = P((k+1)n) \end{gather}

Thanks to this fact, you have that the set $\{0,n,2n,3n, 4n,...\} = \{kn\}_{k\in \mathbb N}$ is a set of roots of $P$. Since it is infinity, $P(x)=0$.


Case $n=1$

Again we have $P(0)=0$ so $P(x)=xQ(x)$ for a certain polynomial $Q(x)$. Sobstituting this equality in the equality of the text we have: \begin{gather} x(x-1)Q(x-1)=x(x-1)Q(x)\\ Q(x-1)=Q(x) \end{gather} And this implies that $Q(x)=c$ with $c\in \mathbb R$. Then the polynomial $P(x)$ is necessarly of the form $P(x)=cx$ for some $c\in \mathbb R$ and every polynomial of this form works.

Edit: In the case $1$ we have to take linear increment and not exponential.