Polynomials – Finding All Polynomials P(x) Such That P(x²) = P(x)²

contest-mathpolynomialsroots-of-unity

Find all polynomials $P:\mathbb{C}\rightarrow\mathbb{C}$ such that $$P(x^2)=P(x)^2 .$$

Here is what I tried:

First, it is easy to see the constant solutions, namely $P\equiv 0,P\equiv 1$.

Let $r$ be a root of $P$ (i.e. $P(r)=0$). It follows that all terms in the infinite sequence $r,r^2,r^4,\dots,r^{2n},\dots$ are roots of $P$. To avoid a polynomial with infinite roots, we have to have the sequence be periodic. So it turns out that either $r=0$, or the roots of $P$ are roots of unity of degree $2n$ for some $n\in\mathbb{N}$.

In the first case, we get $P(x)=xQ(x)$. Plugging in, we get $$x^2Q(x^2)=x^2Q(x)^2\implies Q(x^2)=Q(x)^2 ,$$ i.e. that $Q$ satisfies the same condition as $P$.

In the second case, we have $P(x)=(x^{2n}-1)Q(x)$. Plugging in, we get $(x^{2n}-1)Q(x^2)=(x^{2n}-2x^n+1)Q(x)^2$. I was not sure how to proceed from here.

Best Answer

Hint If $P \neq 0$, then $P$ has the form $$P(x) = a_n x^n + a_{n - 1} x^{n - 1} + \cdots + a_1 x + a_0 ,$$ where $a_n \neq 0$. Comparing the leading terms of $P(x^2)$ and $P(x)^2$ gives that $a_n = 1$. If $P(x) \neq x^n$, then there is some largest index $m < n$ such that $a_m \neq 0$, and so $P$ has the form $$P(x) = x^n + a_m x^m + O(x^{m - 1}) .$$ Now, substitute in both sides of the condition.

Doing so gives $$P(x^2) = x^{2n} + a_m x^{2m} + O(x^{2m - 1})$$ and $$P(x)^2 = x^{2n} + 2 a_m x^{m + n} + O(x^{m + n - 1}) .$$ The second-largest nonzero term in $P(x^2)$ has degree $2m < m + n$, so comparing the degree $m + n$ terms gives $a_m = 0$, a contradiction. Thus, $P(x)$ must be $0$ or $x^n$ for some $n$. On the other hand, checking directly shows that these polynomials satisfy the condition.

Incidentally, this argument works over any field of characteristic $\neq 2$ (in characteristic $2$, $P(x^2) = P(x)^2$ holds for all polynomials).